17th of December – Handling Challenging Conversations

17th of December – Handling Challenging Conversations

There are many benefits to having these challenging conversations including:

• Improving performance and behaviour, as once the issue is known and understood an individual can choose to do something about it – if we don’t tell them, how can we be surprised when nothing changes?
• Building and developing people’s skills and potential, as they know clearly what they are doing well and where they can develop and improve
• Avoiding issues becoming more serious and needing to be formalized e.g. through a disciplinary process
• Saving you time and effort in the longer term, through a timely challenging conversation at an early stage to ‘nip something in the bud’
• Building of trust, as it is understood that there is nothing hidden or being discussed behind people’s backs, and people know that when they are given feedback, it is done sensitively and with a positive intent.  
• Improving team morale and dynamics, as issues are not allowed to become prolonged so resentment does not build
• Building of your confidence, skills and ability as a leader in having challenging conversations – the more you do, the easier they become
• Encouraging others to have their own challenging conversations, by you acting as a role model