Difficult Conversations: How To Begin

Time to read: 1 minute, 35 seconds

So far, we've talked about how to prepare yourself and how to prepare your words for a difficult conversation.

Today is important…How do you start a hard conversation?

Your opening words are important in setting the tone and launching a productive conversation.

I often tell clients, you only need your first line and then trust yourself to handle whatever happens next.

Let's set up an example so I can give you a script…hmmmm…Let's say you have to give someone a hard performance review with no raise or promotion. Here's how to start:

• Prevent a blindside or waiting: Keep in mind that the other person may have no idea this is coming. You've been prepping for days, and they are coming in cold. A blindside doesn't generally go well. Nor does, "We have to talk. I'll set up time for next week" (which causes painful waiting and speculation). Even if they know it's coming, you want to be kind and respectful.
• Transparency: Lead with transparency and a heads-up. "What I'm about to say may be hard to hear" or "There are a lot of good things to talk about, and I'm going to begin with the hard parts.", Now the other person has a moment to set their expectations.
• Get straight to the point. Don't sugarcoat, delay the bad news, or try to cover it with the "good" stuff." It sounds like this: "You are not receiving a raise or promotion this year. I know you were hoping for more, and I want to outline the feedback we've received."
• Stop talking! This is the hard part. Give the person a minute to absorb the information. At this point, they can't hear anything you say so hold your words.

You have now opened the hard conversation. These same steps apply in personal contexts, too. ("What I'm about to say makes me sad. I can't come to your wedding." Close your mouth and wait! "This is going to be hard to hear. I'm not going to continue paying your rent." Close your mouth and wait!)

Ooooohhh…a Corporate Rebel cliffhanger.

Next week: What happens next?

Please reach out anytime with your questions and comments. I love to hear from you! Email me here

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Difficult Conversations: How To Prepare

Time to read: 1 minute, 23 seconds

I don't take photos of people in conflict so you're gonna get random pictures of my pets. :-)

Last week, I talked about handling your emotions so you can enter a difficult conversation as cleanly as you can.

A comment about your emotions: That advice assumes, of course, that you have time to give yourself space (for example: when informing an employee they won't be getting a raise). You may find yourself delivering bad news in an emergency (for example, "Dad is in the hospital!"). The same conversational structure applies, and you may not have time to temper your own emotions before you make the phone call.

When you have time, I highly recommend preparation. Think about these things:

• What is the purpose of the conversation?
• What do you hope you and the other person will get out of it?
• What will you say?
• How will you say it?
• Who do you want to be in the conversation?

I recommend writing a script for yourself or at least some thoughts. It's not like you have to walk in with a set of notecards. And, it helps to know the point you want to make, the important information to convey, and how you want to conduct yourself.

Your script might look like this:

• Conversation with sister.
• Goal, get aligned on care for our parents. Stay in a relationship when we don't see eye-to-eye.
• Opening sentence: It's clear we both love our parents. What I'm about to say may be hard to hear. Please stay with me as we work through this emotional situation.
• Being: Be loving and slow down. Remember to listen and value what she says. Connect, even when it's hard.

Preparation will make the conversation go smoothly (although, coming soon…you have no control over how the other person responds).

Next week: How to open the conversation

Please reach out anytime with your questions and comments. I love to hear from you! Email me here.

If you love this newsletter, please share it with your colleagues. They can sign up for it here.

Difficult Conversations: Where To Start?

Time to read: 1 minute, 16 seconds

Welcome to the series on difficult conversations! I'm going to take you step-by-step through the anatomy of a hard conversation. By the end, you'll have a complete toolkit for how to prepare, what to say, and how to handle the other person (people) as well as yourself.

This series addresses how to deliver bad news, handle conflict and bad feelings, or say things that are hard to hear. I'll address both personal and professional conversations, give examples, and offer scripts you can lift from the page and try in your life and work.

Where to start? Oh right…at the beginning.

Let's assume you have a situation like this:

• Telling a client you are raising their rates
• Delivering a bad performance review
• Delivering any kind of bad news
• Pushing back on your boss or colleague
• Handling a friend or family member who has hurt you

Your first step is to prepare yourself. In any situation where you have been hurt or have to deliver unpopular news, you will have feelings and reactions. You may be:

• Nervous
• Angry
• Afraid
• Dreading
• Nauseous
• Betrayed
• Sad

So your first step is get clean with yourself. Find a place to experience your feelings: talk to a friend, cry in your car, scream in the shower, twist a towel. Do what you need to do to handle your feelings so they don't muddy the conversation.

Please don't expect to feel GREAT when you deliver bad news. You just don't want to be in reaction.

So, the first step is give yourself some time and space to handle your feelings so you can enter the conversation clean.

Next week: How to prepare

As this series rolls out, if you have questions, please reach out anytime, email me . I love to hear from you!

You All Are The BEST!

Time to read: Less than a minute

Wow…you all brought it. You told me what you need, and I have a loooong list of great topics to share with you. Here's a sample:

• Guilt
• Time management
• Emotional regulation
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Challenging and motivating a high-performing team
• How to transition jobs
• Growing leaders
• Coping skills

Managing difficult conversations was a popular option so that will be the first topic, starting next week. A few of you asked how to have difficult conversations across divides. Gotta think about that one. I appreciate the challenge.

If you have friends or colleagues who would benefit from any of these topics, they can join this newsletter here.

If you didn't get a chance to tell me what you need, there's still time! Email me here.

Stay tuned. Difficult conversations starting next week.

Help! I Don't Know What I'm Looking For!

Time to read: 68 seconds

Welcome to week 6 of Job Seeking for Corporate Rebels. It's the last week of the series.

If you are a teacher looking for a teaching job, job hunting is straightforward. Some of you have no idea what you're looking for or want to pivot from your career path. You're a nurse who wants to work for a big company or lawyer who wants to go into teaching.

Obviously, some pivots require more education. If you want to become a therapist, you need a counseling degree. If you want to become a doctor, your next step is medical school.

Many pivots, though, require transferrable skills, an open view to what's possible, an understanding of the places your skills are needed, and the ability to tell the story about how your skills and experience meet the requirements for a job that's not an obvious fit.

The nurse who wants to work for a big company might consider medical devices or pharma, medical start-ups, perhaps various kinds education and training. A lawyer who wants to teach might consider law schools or private high schools looking for excellent writers.

Today's Hot Tip: The market is filled with jobs you've never heard of and as technology changes, the jobs of tomorrow look nothing like the jobs of yesterday. If you only look for jobs you can imagine, you are limiting what you might find. Open your lens. Talk to people about your skills and experience and see what jobs they suggest. You might just land an exciting new career.

I hope you've enjoyed this series on job hunting. Please email me with questions and comments. I always love to hear from you.

The Most Important Question To Ask During A Job Search

Time to read: 15 seconds

Welcome to week 5 of Job Searching for Corporate Rebels!

Today is short.

Whenever you talk to someone, this is the final question to ask them:

"Who else do you think I should talk to?"

I think I've mentioned Momentum a few times?

This question builds momentum because you leave every conversation with at least 1, hopefully, 2-3 new contacts. Before you know it, you have a matrix of people.

Today's Hot Tip: Leave every conversation with 1-3 new contacts or introductions.

If you have a friend or colleague who is job-seeking, share this blog article with them. They can subscribe here to receive the whole series.

Networking 101 (first step, don't call it networking)

Time to read: 1.08 minutes

More photos of my pets. :-)

Welcome to week 4 of Job Searching for Corporate Rebels!

Networking. What does that word inspire for you? Fear? Insincerity? Fakeness?

You're not going to use the word anymore. Erase that word from your job search vocabulary. Go on, toss it out.

I'll wait.

If you are only scrolling online job openings and submitting applications, you are not taking full advantage of opportunities. (One caveat: If you are an industrial engineer applying for jobs in industrial engineering, then maybe online applications will work). For everyone else, a personal, relational approach will amp up your results.

Last week, I talked about building momentum. Personal interaction is the way to do that. This means live conversations with real people. The people can be anyone…your family, close friends, colleagues past and present, even strangers.

"I don't want to bug people," you say.

Here's the thing: People love dispensing advice. They love being the one who has finally made it to a place where they have something to offer. And, if they don't want to talk or don't have time, they won't. There's no harm in reaching out. You never know who holds the key to your next opportunity.

Ideally, you've kept in touch over the years. Even if you haven't, it's ok.

You arrive to the conversation prepared with questions about their career, what you are looking for, and what ideas they have for you.

Then you listen. After you've had the business conversation, then you ask about their kids, vacations, and other personal stuff. You'll have more time for a fun, personal check-in.

Today's Hot Tip: Here's a script for an email:

"Hey XYZ, It's been a while since we've connected. I was laid off in December and am starting a job search. I'm reaching far and wide for advice and ideas. Would you be willing to chat with me for 30 minutes?"

Today's Bonus Hot Tip: Be prepared to say yes to a chat with an old friend or an old friend's child about their job search in the future. Pay it forward!

Next week I'm going to tell you the #1 question to ask.

If you have a friend or colleague who is job-seeking, share this blog article with them. They can subscribe here to receive the whole series.