From the course: Having Difficult Conversations
Unlock the full course today
Join today to access over 22,600 courses taught by industry experts or purchase this course individually.
What makes a conversation difficult?
From the course: Having Difficult Conversations
What makes a conversation difficult?
- A few weeks ago, I was telling a colleague about a difficult conversation I'd had and she said, well, that doesn't sound that difficult. Then, she started telling me in detail how she would have handled it. I thought to myself, she just doesn't understand. People often disagree about what makes a particular kind of conversation difficult. A conversation that seems uncomfortable to one person may seem straightforward to another. The truth is there are many variables at play. Let's talk about a few. First, the situation. Something is happening that you don't want to happen or something is not happening that you do want to happen. Second, the relationship. When our conflict is with someone we care about, it can be really difficult. We worry about alienating the person or damaging the relationship. Third, the power structure. They could be your superior like a boss, a parent, or a mentor, or maybe they're your equal, a colleague or a peer. They could be your employee or a mentee. It can…
Practice while you learn with exercise files
Download the files the instructor uses to teach the course. Follow along and learn by watching, listening and practicing.