Navigating Hard Conversations with Managers, Peers, and Direct Reports

Navigating Hard Conversations with Managers, Peers, and Direct Reports

Navigating Hard Conversations with Managers, Peers, and Direct Reports

All organizational members, no matter what level, should be able to engage effectively in hard conversations. Examples of this kind of communication might be disagreeing with your manager over an assignment, giving a performance review to a direct report, offering a minority opinion about an important decision, informing personnel about a difficult organizational change, or telling a coworker that their behavior is out of line.

Sadly, people typically avoid having these conversations, overly accommodate others when they do, or lack the skills to work through them effectively.

Research shows that to perform at their highest level, individuals should be able to assess how well they handle hard conversations, identify strengths and shortcomings, and improve their ability to engage in difficult but productive conversations.