From the course: Having Difficult Conversations
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Understand what makes a conversation difficult
From the course: Having Difficult Conversations
Understand what makes a conversation difficult
- A few weeks ago, I was telling a colleague about a difficult conversation I'd had, and she said, "Well, that doesn't sound that difficult." Then she started telling me in detail how she would've handled it, and I thought to myself, she just doesn't understand. People often disagree about what makes a particular kind of conversation difficult. A conversation that seems uncomfortable to one person may seem straightforward to another. The truth is, there are many variables at play. Let's talk about a few. First, the situation, something is happening that you don't want to happen or something is not happening that you do want to happen. Second, the relationship. When our conflict is with someone we care about, it can be really difficult. We worry about alienating the person or damaging the relationship. And third, the power structure. They could be your superior, like a boss, a parent, or a mentor, or maybe they're your equal, a colleague or a peer. They could be your employee or a…
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