HBR Guides to Emotional Intelligence at Work Collection (5 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

Chapter 14

Conducting Difficult Conversations

Many of us find ourselves in professional situations when we believe someone has wronged us, just plain made us mad, or treated us badly. The advice often given by the experts in this book is to have the courage to have an honest conversation; air the grievance. No one can help you solve a problem if she doesn’t know you have it. But that’s easier said than done, right?

We’ve gathered advice from some of the world’s top thinkers on communication challenges in the workplace. If you have a strategy for difficult conversations before you need one, you’re far more likely to get through them successfully. Here’s how.

Why We Avoid Difficult Conversations

Why are we afraid to face a conversation even if ...