Whether it’s telling someone that their idea is not that great or setting boundaries with coworkers, handling difficult conversations at work is a valuable skill. This quick guide will show the basics you need to know.
Don’t beat around the bush
When it comes to communicating a difficult message, most people tend to hem and haw. While this behavior is understandable because nobody likes to deliver criticism, skirting the issue will only make the experience more excruciating. Be polite but go straight to the point and explain in clear terms the reason why you’re having the conversation.
State Your Reasons
You don’t want this to feel like a personal attack toward the other person. The best way to show that you are not acting out of spite or personal animosity is to share your reasoning with them. This keeps personal bias at bay and shows that you are basing your opinion on facts. For example, if you want to reject an idea because you think it’s too complex, you may say: “This proposal may work for other projects, but the client asked us specifically for a simple solution.”
Serve a “Truth Sandwich”
In journalism, a “truth sandwich” is a communication model designed to fight disinformation. It consists of a piece of truthful information followed by a misconception and another truth. You can adapt this model to difficult communications by sandwiching the difficult piece of information between two encouraging statements. For example: “I know you are really dedicated, but I have noticed that you seem to be struggling with personal hygiene. How can we help you solve this?”
More Tips and Ideas
At the ONE Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce, we are always looking for ideas that help foster the growth of your business. Here are some previous posts to help you do just that:
- Cybersecurity basics for small businesses
- 3 Simple ways to protect yourself against identity theft
- Common grammar mistakes to avoid in your business emails
Interested in learning more about the ONE Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce? Contact us today by email (info@oneinlandempire.com), telephone (951-280-3902), or social media. We look forward to hearing from you!
