Difficult Truths, Skillful Conversations Pt 1

Overview

Most of the time, relations between people are good. And while there may occasionally be minor annoyances, generally things will run smoothly. 

Sometimes though, issues arise. Perhaps you feel you aren’t being treated fairly. Maybe you’re beyond annoyed at that one thing that person does, but won’t say anything. Or maybe you’re upset with your manager, but don’t know if you should say anything to the other manager.

How do we bring up criticism in a way that’s both honest to our grievances and helpful? We want to say what the problem is but we don’t want to start a forest fire in the process. 

This module will present some ideas on how to do that. They’re fairly simple. Most require that you pay attention and tread considerately. With practice, these should become instinctive.

Our discussion will be divided into two parts. First, we’ll look at two principles which are “best practices” when it comes to dealing with conflict in any arena. 

Then, we’ll dive into some practical tips for how to actually have those conversations. 

Let’s take a look at the principles!