Difficult Conversations (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Prepare for the Difficult Conversation

Now that you’ve decided to initiate a difficult conversation and considered the emotional factors at play, what additional steps can you take to ensure a successful outcome? Of course you can’t know what your counterpart will say. But taking some time on your own to think things through may mean the difference between losing your cool and maintaining your focus to reach a positive resolution. Whether a difficult conversation will be successful depends on how well you prepare before you walk into the room—specifically, your understanding of your own state of mind and your ability to think through how you’ll frame the conversation. We’ll follow the story of Liam and Shireen, account reps on the same regional ...