Learning to tackle tough conversations in the workplace
Sometimes we have to face up to difficult conversations at work. We look at some insights from The Suncorp Learning Campus that can prepare you for dealing with them.
Difficult conversations are an inevitable part of working life. However, many of us will do anything to avoid confrontation. So how do we summon up the courage and acquire the skills to have those important but tough conversations at work?
In any job, situations occur that ultimately require tackling uncomfortable discussions and feedback. Perhaps someone is not pulling their weight, a project has gone wrong or an employee’s behaviour is causing conflict or upsetting others. There are many times when an awkward conversation is required to diffuse problems and find a resolution.
Although these conversations are no one’s favourite, they are often necessary to resolve workplace tensions. And usually, they should happen sooner rather than later. When things are left to fester, they can get worse and potentially affect more people in a negative way.
Thankfully, there are some proven, effective ways to approach tough talks that will minimise unpleasantness and maximise the chances of an acceptable outcome for all concerned.
The Suncorp Learning Campus has both a "1-minute Courageous Conversations" and a "10-minute Difficult Conversations" course to teach you how to navigate these workplace encounters.
For those who need a brief refresher, the first course outlines the following steps:
- Explain you have difficult feedback to share
- Brace the recipient for potentially awkward feedback
- Be straightforward and simple, and don’t involve others
- Link the feedback to a change in behaviour
- Agree on some action and follow up
If you’re still feeling trepidatious about having a tough conversation, that’s completely understandable. The 10-minute course goes deeper, explaining how people often fear and put off having difficult conversations because they feel uncomfortable, are worried about a negative outcome and don’t want to risk hurting anyone’s feelings.
The course helps you identify the right reason to have these conversations and outlines an end-to-end process – from identifying the core issue to imagining the worst outcome and accepting that as a possibility. It also advises to incentivise yourself with a ‘reward task’ once the conversation is over.
And in case you think you might be able to get away with using text or email… sorry – these kinds of conversations need to be had in person or, at the very least, via telephone, for them to be effective.
The 10-minute course outlines the DESCCO method to help prepare for these scenarios: Describe the situation, Express how you feel, Specify what you’d prefer, Consequences of the new action, Contract to act in the new way, and OK. For the full details, you can check out the course in Suncorp Learning Campus.
This can be done in a one-sided conversation or, ideally, by inviting the person to self-identify what they will do to alter their behaviour.
Tough conversations take real courage, but by using these techniques you will put yourself in the correct mindset to ensure a hard conversation stays on target and achieves what it needs to. Not only are these useful techniques to learn for the workplace, but they are a key area for growth that can prove valuable in your personal life as well.
The Suncorp Learning Campus (SLC) has a range of courses to help you tackle difficult conversations and workplace conflict. Check out 1-minute Courageous Conversations, 10-minute Difficult Conversations, Difficult Conversations, and Dealing with Difficult Situations.
