Difficult Conversations
Practical Tactics for Crucial Communication
Difficult Conversations contains a step-by-step template to help managers and
senior
executives prepare for conflict resolution scenarios in advance,
along with sample scripts to address eight common issues that create
conflict in the workplace. Order your copy today, and get the tools
you need to use conflict as an opportunity to strengthen workplace relationships
instead tearing them apart.
Immediately after your payment has been approved,
you will
be
provided with a link to download this ebook in PDF format.
Conflict is unavoidable
Conflict is unavoidable. Whenever there are two or more people involved
in an activity, there is potential for disagreement and stress.
But whatever the scenario, conflict resolution—if done right—can not only
resolve disputes, but it can also strengthen relationships between the
parties involved. You can accomplish this by having an action
plan ready to implement whenever a difficult situation arises.
5 Steps to Resolving Conflict Resolution Scenarios in a Positive Way
- Prepare for the conversation. Review the situation before
initiating a conversation. Evaluate your feelings and attempt to understand
where the other person is coming from as well. Make sure you can clearly
state the problem, and go into the meeting with a desired outcome in
mind.
- Don’t procrastinate. Try to have the conversation promptly
after a specific incident has occurred. The longer you put it off, the
more challenging and uncomfortable it will become. It takes courage
to initiate the conversation, but the sooner you do it, the more quickly
it will begin to heal.
- Start by listening. Active listening is about being
open and non-judgmental. Encourage
the other person to share his or her side of the story, and try
to put yourself in his shoes. Let go of your assumptions and really
hear what’s going on. What emotions are being expressed? Don’t interrupt
except to acknowledge the other party’s feelings and viewpoint.
- Avoid “you” statements. Use “I” to keep your statements
focused on your thoughts and feelings. “You” statements will only put
you back on the who-did-what-and-why merry-go-round and will not lead
to any productive solutions.
- Conclude the conversation. When you’re planning your
conversation, have an ending in mind. You need to reach closure, so
that each of you feels satisfied with the outcome and knows what the
next steps will be.
