Your next breakthrough is waiting behind a conversation you're avoiding right now.
Stop waiting.
10 proven tactics to 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 have the hard conversations you’ve been putting off (that I’ve learned the hard way):
𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁: Your attitude and intentions show through.
𝟮. 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: Disagree without diminishing. Respect keeps people at the table.
𝟯. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲 𝘃𝘀. 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: The issue is the enemy—not the person across from you.
𝟰. 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀: Stick to what happened—not the narrative you’ve built around it.
𝟱. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲: Pause before you pounce—regret often arrives faster than clarity.
𝟲. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮: When communication stops, no progress can be made.
𝟳. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴: Understanding starts where ego ends.
𝟴. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲: Truth doesn’t need a sledgehammer. Use tone that opens doors.
𝟵. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲: Ask better questions. Assumptions kill connection.
𝟭𝟬. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: No one should leave wondering, “So... now what?”
These insights are inspired by the book "Crucial Conversations" by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler - and brought to you by Omar's Desk.
PS: 70% of employees avoid having difficult conversations at work.
PPS: Document the conversation for mutual understanding, effective action, and progress tracking.
