No one "wants" to have an awkward or difficult conversation with anyone. There's a logical reason for this …

5 irrefutable facts that cause us to avoid difficult conversations:

1. Difficult conversations never get “easy” because they inherently involve confrontation no matter what the topic.
2. People’s reactions make difficult conversations unpredictable.
3. Often high stakes conversations get “sprung” on the manager.
4. Most difficult conversations are emotional.
5. Most people have never been coached to have these conversations with the right balance of empathy and assertiveness.

Read #5 again. That fact is the most damaging.

You need a plan, and the right tools and countermeasures to navigate the rocky terrain of difficult conversations in the workplace – and the hidden landmines that lie within.

That's exactly what you get with the ResourcefulManager 3-Part Framework for Conducting Successful Difficult Conversations.

Part 1: Before The Talk

• The first decision you need to make when you learn of an issue (we tend to go the wrong way on this)
• The real goal you should have going into every difficult conversation – and how this focus will reduce your anxiety and subconsciously help you maintain your cool during the talk
• The 5 key elements you need to implant in your mindset to get positive outcomes consistently
• How to ask for the conversation without “scaring” the employee
• When to schedule the talk and where to have it

Part 2: During The Talk

• #1 mistake people make opening the conversation (this bad advice is rampant on the web)
• The 14-word starter statement to kick off the conversation the right way (doing this sets the appropriate tone)
• When and why you should create physical space between you and the other participant
• If you have a reasonable suspicion of THIS do not, I repeat, do not have a one-on-one conversation – do this instead
• How to use “basic facts” like lawyers do to minimize most disagreements, corroborate stories and navigate “he said, she said” gossip
• How to tell your side of the story in a way that is accepted and not perceived as a personal attack
• Why you’re sabotaging your own efforts by skipping this important step in the conversation (most managers avoid it out of fear)
• Counterintuitive reason you should allow the person to vent uninterrupted – and why it’s necessary to reach a positive resolution that sticks
• How to find the underlying issue – the catalyst for resolution – hidden in the other person’s story and rants
• The two outcomes of every difficult conversation … one fails often, the other increases buy-in and makes follow-through much easier
• Why you should end the conversation like you started

Part 3: After The Talk

• Should you document every difficult conversation and get the employee to sign it?
• Follow-up best practices to ensure the action plan you agreed to gets executed and the employee stays motivated
• How to keep the conversation legal and avoid the most common employment law claim employees file against employers

A misstep at any of those three stages will seriously reduce the chances of arriving at a successful outcome.

Difficult conversations are difficult for a reason. There's a lot at stake and many things can go wrong. To help, you'll also get these two sections in the Blueprint:

• The 10 thwarting ploys – and how to respond to them
• 10 mistakes when having a difficult conversation – and how to avoid them