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Some of us will be so at ease with the thought of having to have a difficult conversation with someone. We feel comfortable with potential confrontation and we are great at remaining calm and unfazed. That isn’t the case for everyone and there are some really useful strategies to help aid these conversations.
A lot of people might be okay with some challenging conversations when they are in their personal life but struggle at work, or perhaps the other way around. Understanding what your strengths are in this area and where you find it difficult, is a really useful starting point. Safeguarding is an area that means we cannot shy away from things that are difficult for us or feel uncomfortable. Once you work this out, you can then look at how to make aspects of managing difficult conversations easier.
Rather than approaching a potentially difficult conversation from a place of being defensive and ready for an attack, you need to have empathy and think things through beyond your own emotions. Think of how the other person will feel during the conversation and allow them to process their emotions. If you see they’re really struggling with what you’ve said, pause for a minute while they collect themselves.
Clearly explain why you’re having the conversation to help them fully understand where you’re coming from. If they’re really taking the news poorly, remind them that you are there to support them. Working together rather than against each other is always going to feel better for you both.
For further strategies and the science behind our experiences, check out the course with Thirsty Scholars to learn more about yourself and how to manage difficult conversations. Once you have mastered what works for you, you can approach a variety of situations with far greater ease.
Ella Savelle-Boss is a consultant, guest author and writer for Thirsty Scholars Partnership. Ella has written a number of courses for Thirsty Scholars including *Awareness of Managing Difficult Conversations. For more information on ‘Managing Difficult Conversations’ click here.
