Have you been putting off an important but difficult conversation? Perhaps you just can’t bring yourself to share some negative feedback with a peer. Or maybe you’re hesitant to admit to something you did wrong. But postponing a potentially awkward conversation usually only makes it worse. In the majority of situations, you should have the difficult conversation as quickly as possible. Just be sure to prepare beforehand. Write down exactly how you plan to broach the subject, and then share your thoughts with someone you trust. Find ways to make your message as objective as possible so that you’ll be less likely to trigger defensiveness. Remove judgment-laden terms, and stick to the facts. For example, you can replace “You were highly disrespectful of me in that meeting” with “You spoke over me on three occasions.” The more verifiable your position is, the more confident you can be that the conversation will stay professional.
Adapted from "A Game Plan for That Conversation You've Been Putting Off," by Liane Davey
