How do you hold and manage difficult conversations? What can you do to keep the conversation on track and not let it escalate into an argument?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In business and in personal matters, difficult conversations come up all the time. But if we can learn how to manage difficult conversations more productively, our relationships and our lives will improve tremendously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are three \u201cpower moves\u201d that can help you manage difficult conversations in spite of the other person\u2019s lack of cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Difficult conversations are so difficult first and foremost because of how we approach them. Most of us approach difficult conversations as though we are right and the other person is wrong, as though our feelings are the most important, and as though we have to either \u201cwin\u201d the conversation, or risk \u201closing it.\u201d Learning how to manage difficult conversations constructively starts with letting go of this competitive attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are three \u201cpower moves\u201d that can help manage difficult conversations in spite of the other person\u2019s lack of cooperation: reframing, listening, and naming the dynamic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reframing is listening to the other person\u2019s contributions and translating them into more helpful ones.<\/strong> It usually uses the Three Conversations as the translation categories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reframing helps keep a conversation on track when the other person is heading down a destructive path and helps you translate negative statements into useful ones. And it almost always works: anything the other person says, you can usually reframe it as a helpful contribution to a learning conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can reframe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some examples of how to reframe: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Though a single sentence can\u2019t turn a whole conversation around, hopefully, these examples give you an idea of how to reframe constructively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Active listening can go a long way in helping you manage difficult conversations. When you listen, you get information that is crucial to directing the conversation. If they get emotional, listen and acknowledge their feelings. If they refuse to accept your version of the story, paraphrase what you\u2019re getting from their story and ask them questions about their perspective. If they accuse you of something, try to understand where they\u2019re coming from before you defend yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you get overwhelmed in a conversation, or if you aren\u2019t sure how to proceed, ask them questions, and listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Naming the dynamic is essentially bringing into the conversation what\u2019s happening in<\/em> the conversation. It allows you to articulate the trouble spots of the conversation<\/strong> and is especially useful when the other person won\u2019t follow your example and hogs the conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Naming the dynamic can help clear the air between you by cutting to the core of what\u2019s going on in the conversation in the present. However, it can also take the conversation off course, and can sometimes escalate tension, so it\u2019s probably best to use it as a last resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some examples of how naming the dynamic<\/em> can help you manage difficult conversations more constructively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you hold and manage difficult conversations? What can you do to keep the conversation on track and not let it escalate into an argument? In business and in personal matters, difficult conversations come up all the time. But if we can learn how to manage difficult conversations more productively, our relationships and our lives will improve tremendously. Here are three \u201cpower moves\u201d that can help you manage difficult conversations in spite of the other person\u2019s lack of cooperation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,9],"tags":[230],"class_list":["post-28682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","category-psychology","tag-difficult-conversations","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\n2) Active Listening<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3) Naming the Dynamic<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n