Leading Hard Conversations In The Workplace – #5

Audio Posts

As a leader you are the one responsible to make sure the hard conversations happen. If you don’t – if you remain silent – you communicate to your team that the way things are going is alright with you. So the hard conversations are mandatory for any team to be healthy. But how do you initiate and have those conversations in a way that is constructive instead of destructive? That’s what I want to explain to you on this episode of the podcast. You’ll learn how and where to have those difficult talks and even what to say to make it truly helpful. Ready? Let’s dive in.

You can always make someone responsible, but as a leader, you are the one who is really responsible.

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to delegate tasks and to oversee the workflow and quality of what your team is doing. Through effective delegation, you make people responsible for certain tasks – but if something goes wrong in the process of accomplishing those tasks, you are the one responsible for it. Leaders always take the blame when things go wrong, it’s part of being a leader. But that doesn’t mean you just bear the responsibility and move on. You still need to have the hard conversation with your team member who didn’t fulfill their responsibility. This episode is aimed at helping you know how to do that – and do it well.

If I’m correct, please let me know but if I’m incorrect I’d like to know that too.

When is the last time you heard a boss say something along those lines? It’s not too often – and it’s a shame. Good leaders know that they are responsible for making sure the air is clear when it comes to the situations that go on in their organization. They ask questions – and they are open to the possibility (the likelihood) that they don’t know all the facts themselves. That’s why questions like these are so important. On this episode, I want to give you a handful of additional questions that will help you make the difficult conversations helpful conversations – for you and your entire work team.

There is a very high possibility that you don’t have all the facts.

Too often leaders start the hard conversations with some silly statement like, “Do you know why you are here?” OK, it’s a question, I’ll give you that much, but it’s not the kind of question that puts your team members at ease and helps them to be forthcoming with the information they know about the problem you’re addressing. By admitting up front that you know that you don’t have all the facts, you’re easing the tension and making it easy for everyone to come clean and work together to make the issue better. I trust that you’ll be helped by the tips I have for you about handling hard conversations, on this episode.

What can I do to help? Is there anything else you need from me?

When you wrap up a hard conversation it’s important to let your team members know that you are still their ally. You do that by making sure that they feel free to ask you for any help that they need to move things forward. On this episode, I’m going to give you a quick course in dealing with hard conversations so that you can avoid confrontations and instead have interactions that lead you to a place of teamwork and productivity. It’s a lesson that too many leaders have to learn the hard way. I hope you’ll listen so you won’t be one of them.

Outline of This Episode

  • [0:38] Today’s topic: Conversation VS Confrontation
  • [1:19] The responsibility and accountability inherent in leadership.
  • [2:02] The importance of crucial conversations and checking in with your team members.
  • [3:17] Determining your purpose for the meeting before you start.
  • [4:24] Don’t try to become a mind reader: ask questions.
  • [6:20] Choosing the place for your conversation.
  • [7:04] The importance of asking questions.
  • [7:54] Questions or statements to use in this conversation.
  • [11:11] The benefit of having these tough conversations – long term and short term.
  • [12:55] Summary of the 5 questions.
  • [13:49] Why it’s important to be a master of the stories you’ve already told yourself.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect With Terry at 180 Mentoring

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