#Leadership : #CommunicationSkills – Dealing With A Difficult Conversation. A Great Read for All!
Difficult conversations are just that — difficult. The prospect of a tough conversation can fill anyone with dread and anxiety. Everyone has probably had this feeling, and everyone probably dreads it.
But you don’t need to. We’ve found through our research that this dread, in many cases, points to a natural aversion to conflict, as well as to a fundamental desire to be well-liked and understood. No matter the reasons, however, there are some simple ways to alleviate your anxieties before a tough conversation.
The next time you face a sensitive talk, whether at work with a boss or client or at home with a loved one, you can follow a three-step process to navigate it with ease: prepare, script and role-play.
Like this Article ? Share It ! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:
FSC LinkedIn Network: www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall
Google+: https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en
Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc
Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?
Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/
What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?
Continue of article:
Get The Basic Principles Down First
Many people hate being wrong. We hate being at fault or blamed. Whether this comes from pride or anxiety, it’s critical to look at your own behaviors and attitudes as you prepare for a difficult conversation. As you do this, remind yourself that the other person likely has similar feelings and attitudes. In the end, it’s not about who’s right — it’s about coming to an understanding.
Prepare for the conversation as you would for a pitch, client presentation or any other major moment — by owning as much as you can about yourself. Remember: prepare, script and role-play:
• Assess in your mind. Empathize with your counterpart, and try to imagine the scenario from multiple perspectives. How might their view differ from yours? How would a neutral party hear both sides? As you build empathy, try to focus on positive thoughts so you can put yourself into a constructive mindset to approach the conversation.
• Visualize the interaction. You’ve thought about both sides, so how might the conversation play out? Where might it turn negative, and how do you see yourself responding when you hear something you don’t like? At this stage, your preparation is a choice, so explore as many ups and downs as you can. This can help reduce potential surprises in the discussion.
• Practice each scenario. You’ve established a framework of possible directions and conversations; now practice them. Put them down on paper, grab a colleague or a friend and see whether they’d be willing to role-play the scenarios with you. It may sound silly, but the more familiar you are with your game plan, the more seamless your execution will be when it’s game time.
Apply The Principles To Real-World Scenarios
Let’s put this theory into practice. Imagine a client of three years has just emailed you expressing grave concerns about your working relationship. They ask for a meeting to discuss the future of your work together.
This type of situation happens, and it’s easy to let it spiral in your mind. Applying the three-step process to prepare, script and role-play may allow you to navigate the conversation and at least save the relationship, if not the contract itself.
• Focus on what you can control. As you assess everything in your mind, try to find that place of empathy to understand why you might be receiving this email. Maybe you already know, or maybe you’re caught off guard. Let yourself feel the negative emotions, and then dissect the situation as objectively as possible. Taking the time to explore the different angles can help break down the defensive position you might have taken. In short, it can help you come quickly to a constructive place and approach the conversation as a partner.
• Start scripting. Once you’ve thought through the different angles, start letting scenarios play out in your mind. Maybe you’ve set a meeting time, date and location. Put yourself in that room, and begin to imagine different paths the discussion could take. Imagine the questions and statements and the attitude or tone behind them, and write it all down. This can let you conceive positive responses in advance, so you can keep as much on the table as possible when the meeting finally comes.
• Role-play. Find a co-worker, a friend or someone you to trust to practice how the conversation may go. Study your notes and the scripted scenarios you’ve created, and practice until you feel confident and comfortable in your approach and the directions the conversation can take.
Of course, almost no conversation goes as scripted. The goal of this preparation is to help you come to a constructive place of understanding in advance of your meeting and anticipate as many scenarios as possible so you can avoid being caught off guard. The more you can maintain a fair balance of yourself, the better your odds of salvaging anything at all or, in some cases, turning the dreaded conversation into a truly productive, positive outcome for all parties.
Remember This
Take a deep breath. Think about the impact this conversation may have on your life in five years. Then put yourself in their shoes and do the same. You may quickly realize that the conversation probably doesn’t have the ability to ruin your life or in fact change much at all.
Now you’re ready. Communicate bravely. You’ve done the necessary preparation, and now it’s time to trust the different scenarios you’ve practiced and maintain your positive mindset throughout. Remember that difficult conversations have better results for those who remain positive and confident throughout.
