Have the difficult conversation

How many times have you delayed an employee evaluation because you needed to give a negative performance appraisal? Have you have decided that you no longer want to work with an unreasonable client, but avoid speaking with him or her about it? Or perhaps you are disturbed by the behavior of a colleague at work but instead of confronting him or her you allow the relationship to deteriorate.

None of these conversations is easy. In fact, in my coaching work with business owners and executives, I have found one of the greatest challenges facing leaders is the art of having the difficult conversation. While some individuals are comfortable facing conflict head on, most of us often avoid difficult conversations because we are not prepared to deal with the potential discomfort of the outcome.

However, I suggest that in your leadership role you may not have the luxury of avoiding these types of interactions. The most important question you can ask yourself is “what price are you paying by not facing conflict directly and having the tough conversation?”