Have you ever had to tackle a difficult conversation?
I had to deliver some bad news today. It wasn’t life threatening stuff, but I had to tell someone close to me that they couldn’t do something. And it was something I’d set them up to do in the first place. Its never nice to do, and I know that my instinct is to panic and then blow the whole thing out of proportion.
So here are my top tips for dealing with it
- Remind yourself that the person probably has bigger things to worry about than the news you’re about to deliver.
- Put yourself into their shoes. How would you like to be told?
- Prepare for any objections they may have. What might they be? Have some answers ready.
- Have a second topic of conversation, so that you can lighten the tone and move the conversation onto something positive afterwards.
- Remember, if you’re an “awfulizer” then you’ve probably made the situation out to be worse than it is
- Just get on with. Procrastinating will only make it worse.
I’d love to hear about situations you’ve experienced and how you’ve dealt with them. Feel free to share your comments.
(Photo credit: torbakhopper)
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