Leadership Development News Roundup: Difficult Conversations Edition

Having difficult conversations may not be pleasant or easy, but it’s an essential part of being a leader. At some point, every manager has to fire someone. One day you may have to inform your investors that your organization won’t meet its projections. Perhaps you’ll have to tell the wonderfully kind, but overly sensitive, receptionist that his breath or cologne are disrupting office operations. Any one of these conversations can prove awkward, contentious or difficult for various reasons and many people would just as soon put them off. But that doesn’t help and it’s not what strong leaders do.Leaders owe it to their colleagues and organizations to just dive in and confront problems head on -- and do so in a productive way. To help you and your colleagues do this, this week’s Leadership Development News Roundup brings you a collection of articles and blog posts with advice on handling difficult conversations.Are You Avoiding Having a Difficult Conversation? The Huffington Post: “Be clear in your own head before you start about what outcome you want and what outcome you don't want. For example: I want Eric to understand the impact his behavior has on the team and to make a commitment to change. I don't want to upset him by handling this badly. Think about and plan for how to go about getting what you really want and avoiding what you don't want and how you would behave if you really wanted this outcome.”How to Maintain a Resourceful State In Difficult Conversations. The Sales Blog: “If you want to be effective in dealing with people and working through difficult conversations, you have to separate the outcome you need from your desire to give the person sitting in front of you a piece of your mind, teach them a lesson, light a fire underneath them, or whatever metaphor suits you.”View from HR: Why Managers Shouldn’t Avoid Tough Conversations. News & Observer: “The toughest conversations, even for experienced managers, arise in the gray zone of behaviors. Often these behaviors are within societal norms and only become work problems because of the requirements of a particular role. In other words, this tough conversation is less about known norms and more about an employee’s effectiveness in and suitability for this role.”Managing Difficult Conversations at Work. WorkplaceInfo: “One thing was common to every one of the work groups where people reported high levels of unreasonable behavior. People avoided talking to those whose behavior created problems. They talked about them and not to them. Where some had tried to talk directly with the person whose behavior was of concern – invariably the conversation missed the mark and created some additional problems with work relationships.”5 Ways to Prepare for a Difficult Conversation. World of Psychology: “Write down your thoughts. Before embarking on a difficult conversation, write down what you hope to express. What are you feeling? What’s the best way to articulate your truth? Furthermore, reflect on what it is you wish to accomplish. Are you looking for clarity or closure? Are you simply seeking to unleash thoughts and emotions that have been suppressed? By mapping out your thoughts, the purpose will become clear; a focus will manifest, guiding your words in the right direction.”Let us know if you’d like our help coaching your leaders to help them get better handling difficult conversations and other essential leadership competencies.Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to explore their business potential and improve their company and cultural performance. Contact us to get proactive about your people strategy.