How to Handle Difficult Conversations at Work?
                     How to Handle 
Difficult 
Conversations at 
Work?
Change your mindset
 Rather  than gett ing worked up beforehand,  
change your mindset.  Think of  i t  as  just  
another normal  offi ce conversat ion.  
 You should assume that  the meet ing wi l l  go 
wel l .  Go in wi th a confi dent  att i tude and get  
to the po int .  By approaching the s i tuat ion 
posi t ive ly ,  the energy you br ing wi l l  a lso be  
posi t ive.
Source: www.forbes.com
Don’t wait to have 
diffi cult conversations at 
work
 Diffi cult  ta lks  can become even more 
chal lenging the longer you wai t .  And over 
t ime,  you can also bui ld  up anxiety that  wi l l  
make the  problem worse.
Source: www.forbes.com
Practice having diffi cult 
conversations at work
 Having the tough ta lks  forces companies to 
br ing uncomfortable  issues out  into the open.  
And i t  can help bus inesses address them,  
especia l ly  when i t  comes to cr i t ical  matters  
l ike workplace d ivers i ty  and pay inequal i ty.
Source: www.forbes.com
Prepare beforehand
 I t ’ s  a lways a  good idea to prepare for  these 
diffi cul t  conversat ions at  work beforehand.  
But  don’t  t ry  to  rehearse  or  create  a scr ipt .  
Instead,  wr i te  down three things you want to 
accompl ish and focus on them.  
Source: www.forbes.com
Manage your emotions
 Your  goal  is  to have the conversat ion in  an 
even tone and keep i t  profess ional .  This  
technique is  especia l ly  important  when the  
meet ing is  wi th someone you work c lose ly  
wi th.  I t  can he lp i f  you look at  th ings f rom a 
fact -based standpoint .  
Source: www.forbes.com
Be empathetic
 Consider how the other  person wi l l  fee l  
dur ing the  conversat ion and give them t ime 
to process thei r  emot ions.  
 Clear ly  explain why you're  having the  
meet ing to help them fu l ly  understand your  
perspect ive.  I f  you see them struggl ing,  
pause for  a minute so they can gather  the ir  
thoughts.  
Source: www.forbes.com
Brainstorm together
 The goal  of  having th is  conversat ion is  to 
come up wi th a  solut ion.  I f  i t  isn’ t  c lear  f rom 
the beginning,  work together  to bra instorm 
ideas.  L isten to the  other person’s  thoughts  
and br ing some suggest ions to the table  as  
we l l .  
Source: www.forbes.com
Breathe
 The more calm and centered you are,  the  
better  you are  at  handl ing d iffi cul t  
conversat ions .
 This  technique also works  wel l  in  the  
moment.  I f ,  for  example,  a col league comes 
to you wi th an issue that  might  lead to a hard 
conversat ion,  excuse yoursel f  get  a cup of  
coff ee or  take a br ie f  stro l l  around the  offi ce 
and col lect  your thoughts .
Source: hbr.org
Slow down and listen
 I f  you l i s ten to what  the other person is  
saying,  you’re  more l ike ly  to address the  
r ight  issues and the conversat ion always 
ends up being better.
Source: hbr.org
THANK YOU