If you’re unsure of how to best approach a challenging conversation, here are our top tips to guide you:
- Be direct
- Be specific
- Plan out the conversation
- Watch your language and your body language
- Offer and agree a solution
- Manage your emotions
- Be empathetic
- Allow the other person to ask questions
And think about what could you say?
- I have something I’d like to discuss with you that I think will help us work together more effectively.
- I’d like to talk about ____________ with you, but first I’d like to get your point of view.
- I need your help with what just happened. Do you have a few minutes to talk?
- I need your help with something. Can we talk about it (soon)? If the person says, “Sure, let me get back to you,” follow up with them.
- I think we have different perceptions about _____________________. I’d like to hear your thinking on this.
- I’d like to talk about ___________________. I think we may have different ideas about how to _____________________.
- I’d like to see if we might reach a better understanding about ___________. I really want to hear your feelings about this and share my perspective as well.
