Navigating Crucial Conversations

Concept

Intention

What to say

Start with the heart.

Begin conversation with genuine care and concern for the other person.

"I value our teamwork and want to address something that's been on my mind."

Create a safe environment.

Establish safe space where both parties feel comfortable expressing themselves.

Mental space:
"I want to make sure we can discuss this openly without any judgment."

Physical space:
"Is now a good time? Where can we talk that's comfortable?"

State your concerns.

Clearly outline your concerns and viewpoint.
Be specific and focus on one issue at a time.

"I've noticed that deadlines are being missed, and it's affecting our team's productivity. Can we discuss what's going on and how we can address it?"

Manage emotions.

Keep emotions in check to maintain constructive dialogue.
Acknowledge and address emotional responses.

"I can see this is a sensitive topic. Let's take a moment if needed."

"I'm feeling frustrated too. Can we both agree to stay calm and find a solution?"

Listen actively.

Demonstrate understanding by paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions.

"What I'm hearing is that you're feeling overwhelmed with the current workload. Is that correct?"

"Can you tell me more about what's contributing to these feelings?"

Collaborate on solutions.

Work together to develop mutually agreeable solutions and action plans.

"Let's brainstorm some ideas on how we can better manage the workload moving forward."

"What changes can we make to improve the situation?"