Difficult, challenging conversations are the centrepiece of an effective team, an effective relationship, an effective organisation- and yet time after time we avoid having them.
Nothing can nor should replace this essential human interaction.
Organisationally: behaviour management; team effectiveness; performance review; visioning and forward planning are some of the essential areas where difficult conversations are required.
In our personal relationships: connectedness, boundaries and harmony to identify a few, all require the same internal reflection and challenging conversations.
There is a skill in managing those conversations, dealing with emotion, conflict or false perception is not always straight forward, but ... a carried, unresolved issue sits with us and can over a period of time skew our thought process and behaviour.
Ask yourself.
1) What part do I play in this, reflect on your involvement and responsibility
2) Express the concern/ issue in a balanced way
3) Allow the other person the opportunity to have their say... (listen)
4) Develop a solution together.. (this can also be agree to disagree)
Practice makes perfect... so next time there is a difficult conversation to be had, have it.. and if you are not sure where to start, talk it through with someone first....
Please help to save the difficult conversation.... it is worth it...
Ever wish you could spend just a bit more time doing something but don't feel as though you can? Do you dash from place to place, activity to activity in a whirlwind of logistics and planning?
We are increasingly running to stand still, grabbing lunch, breakfast, dinner and coffee on the go. Multi-taskers extraordinaire, we squeeze in an extra activity or an extra 'job' seemingly effortlessly and then plan our recreation time so it resembles a complex military operation (especially if we have children).
There is a rapidly spreading movement calling for us to slow down. The 'Slow Movement' as they are aptly titled are calling for us to engage in our NOW and to do it at a pace we can appreciate.... slowly.
However that is easier said than done. We feel compelled to keep up, to keep moving and evolving..... and have become adept at filling in our schedule, some of us may even claim to enjoy being so busy, or not know how to slow down......
But if we do want to slow down, even if it is a little then you might like to try this....
1) Pick one thing you would like to spend longer doing. A family dinner, a walk on the beach, coffee with a friend, reading a book etc...
2) Make it a priority, so in your mind give it importance
3) Physically or mentally book time for it, and remember to allow longer
4) Remove the obstacles- make sure you are not going to be needed elsewhere or say no
5) Do it... and enjoy it...
6) Manage yourself, don't think what else you could be doing while you are practicing slowing down...
Practice.... practice... practice
After all some things are better experienced slowly....
