Navigating difficult conversations: Challenging but necessary
Sha-En Yeo (MAPP, CSP)
Happiness Scientist | 2x TEDx Speaker | President, Asia Professional Speakers Singapore | Clients: VISA, Google, TikTok, RBC
"I am struggling but I don't know how to tell my supervisor."
"My team member is more senior than me, but he/she is underperforming."
"I quit my job and haven't yet told my parents."
Difficult conversations. We've all found ourselves, at some point, deciding whether to have them or not. Now that we are returning to work, and having had 2+ years reevaluating our thinking, the way we want to live and what's important to us, we might find ourselves needing to have some of those difficult conversations.
What does "difficult" mean?
Our response to a difficult conversation
Most of the time, we tend to run away from having these conversations for fear of straining the relationship, or how it might impact us negatively. In fact, two thirds of the 2,000 workers surveyed (CMI survey , 2015) said they were stressed or anxious if they knew a difficult conversation was coming, while 11% said they suffered from nightmares or poor sleep in the build-up to a difficult work conversation.
However, running away from them could actually make things worse. For one, the unhappiness or negative emotion you might be feeling could pile up and lead to increasing tension. Worse, it would culminate in a blow up when both parties are in conflict with one another, or when the situation presents itself. Not only that, no change will actually happen because the person is unaware about it. In the long run, this could lead to disengagement or lower morale.
When we avoid difficult conversations, we trade short-term discomfort for long-term dysfunction.
-Peter Bromberg
Benefits of having difficult conversations
Having those conversations, however, can actually help to:
How to navigate difficult conversations
A mistake that many people make is that they jump straight into the conversation without thinking through it, or having a plan for it. In this article, I outline a 2-stage process to navigate these difficult conversations.
Stage 1 : Purpose & Prep
Stage 1 begins with being clear on the purpose for raising the issue. Not every challenge you face requires a conversation. If it is something you are able to resolve, or is temporary because of a particular situation, you may want to wait it out.
Here are some key questions to get clear on the purpose:
2. Be clear on what you hope to achieve (but remain flexible):
Next, you'll need to prepare for the session by getting clear on what it is you'll be saying and what the other party's perspective might be:
领英推荐
2. Consider the perspective of the other person:
3. What possible reactions might you face & how can you pre-empt it? Doing this can help you to prepare for what they could object to, or what they might bring up, and help you consider potential solutions ahead of time. It also allows you to be mentally prepared.
Stage 2: Delivery
Stage 2 is about managing the delivery. With sufficient preparation, you are likely going into the conversation with more confidence. It can also help you to manage the conversation more skilfully and work towards a win-win situation.
Here are a few steps you can use:
Ending the conversation
Finally, to end off the conversation, you might want to:
Difficult conversations are not the most pleasant to have; however, we can become skilful at it, and hopefully remove roadblocks that prevent us from truly enjoying our work, or relationships.
-----
Disclaimer:
I share authentically what I think possible solutions might be, but it is purely from what I have studied (scientific evidence) and my own experience in coaching & training others in this area for the past 11 years. I am not here to diagnose or treat. If you need further help, please do seek the necessary support.
References:
https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-and-insights/article/the-best-strategies-for-difficult-workplace-conversations/
Patton, Stone & Heen (2011). Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most.
“REVERSE” Insurance Claim Specialist I Author For GOOD I Speaker For GOOD I Trainer For GOOD & BEYOND I WSQ Certified I "Effective & Seamless Insurance Claims Advisory" IBF-Accredited Course Trainer
2 年For last 6 years since my hubby was taken ill by raw fish saga in Nov 2015, we had countless difficult conversations. The first difficulty comes because he is deaf. That itself is a killer. Coupled with the App we use now that gives not more than 50% accuracy, that created another layer of miscommunication. I have never experienced such difficult conversations until my husband became profoundly deaf. We had unprecedented conflicts just by mere communications alone, coupled with him coming to terms with his hearing loss and the irritating sounds he received in the cochlear implants. Another difficult conversation is definitely parenting. With a deaf spouse and 3 critical thinking adult kids ages 20-24, it is almost impossible to manage a difficult conversation. When all else fails, I learn this 3 LGs... Let GO, Let GOD! Let's Go! I learn to talk to God more often cos the conversations with Him is not difficult at all!
Ant International | Philanthropy | Sustainability | Counsellor-in-Training
2 年?? agree that it's incredibly important to be able to enter difficult conversations - instead of leaving problems unaddressed, leading to emotional stress and longer term dysfunction. I especially appreciate the reminder to close the conversation by thanking the other party; acknowledging and validating their feelings. Thanks for this thoughtful piece, Sha-En Yeo MAPP!
Helping organisations unlock the power of feedback | Leadership & Men's Mental Health | Founder @ Emote | Co-Founder @ Bros Before Woes
2 年Thanks sha-en for the great guide! I feel most of the time difficult conversations are hard because I don’t know where they’re going to go. Having access to a more guided approach definitely helps calm those nerves.
Helping the Silenced reclaim their True Voice One Story at a Time, I Coach Business Leaders to Inspire and Lead through Magnetic Stories, Top 12% among Speakers Globally, Host of "The WholeHearted Podcast.
2 年Great article, very insightful and practical step-by-step tips Sha-En Yeo MAPP!
我协助新晋经理更有自信的带领团队,重设团队和企业文化,以达到更好的效率和业绩
2 年Once one of my ex-leader accidentally sent an complaint email ABOUT me TO me. I was fuming mad and wanted to confront. But my mentors at work sat me down, calmed me down and clarified my thought process - why did i want to confront? What’s the outcome i want? What are the possible outcomes? What kind of relationship would i want to maintain? With all these clarified, I was able to have a sit-down with that leader. Surprisingly i was much calmer than her. She wanted to evade the conversation etc. but once we talked it out, then she praised me for being very professional.