EP017: How to Have Difficult Conversations When You Don’t Like Conflict

Do you want to learn how to have difficult conversations at work when you don’t like conflict? Knowing how to have difficult conversations in the office when you don’t like conflict is a common issue for emerging leaders. You may need to give somebody negative feedback. Perhaps you need to talk about a sensitive issue like body odour. Or maybe you need to fire somebody.

These types of conversions are naturally difficult. In order to make them less difficult, most people make the mistake of trying to be as polite and indirect as possible. But this leaves the other person confused about what you’re saying, and the problem doesn’t get resolved.

In order to have difficult conversations with employees, you need to approach it with strategy and confidence. In this episode, I share with you strategies you can implement to have difficult conversations with people in the office. These strategies all revolve assertive communication.

Listen to this episode below.

What will you learn in this episode?

In Episode 17, How to Have Difficult Conversations When You Don’t Like Conflict, you will learn:

  • In what situations do leaders need to have difficult conversations?
  • Giving negative feedback and telling somebody they have bad body odour.
  • Five steps to having a difficult conversation with somebody in the workplace.
  • How to create a comfortable setting for the conversation.
  • Making the other person feel safe in the conversation.
  • Giving that person a choice so they’re more involved in the conversation.
  • Assertive communication strategies to have difficult conversations.
  • How to move the conversation to a solution.

Listen to this episode below:

How to have difficult conversations when you don't like conflict
Click this image to listen to this episode of The Leadership Pod.

Listen on Apple Podcasts below

You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts. Click this link.

Resources mentioned:

Love the show? Let me know!

Are you a fan of The Leadership Pod? Head over to Apple Podcasts and tell me how this podcast has helped you by leaving a review. And don’t forget to subscribe so you can be the first to know when I release a new episode.

What are you waiting for? Head over to Apple Podcasts, leave a review and subscribe!

Join the Executive Impressions’ Community of Emerging Leaders!

Want even more tips and insights so you can advance into leadership? Join my monthly newsletter and access free resources here.

Follow me on LinkedIn!

LinkedIn is my number one social media platform and I would love you to join me there. Everyday I share tips and insights and a lot of video posts around leadership that you won’t find anywhere else. And the conversations over on LinkedIn are next to none! 

Join us by following me on LinkedIn and following my hashtag #execimpressions.

I hope you enjoyed this episode on “How to Have Difficult Conversations at Work When You Don’t Like Conflict”.

How to have difficult conversations when you don't like conflict
Click this image to listen to this episode of The Leadership Pod.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of The Leadership Pod!

About Kara

Kara Ronin is the founder of Executive Impressions. She is an executive coach who specialises in leadership presence, social skills and business etiquette. She is also the creator of Bestselling Udemy course, Business Etiquette 101. Kara’s advice and unique perspectives have been featured in Time Inc., Business Insider, Ignites Europe (a Financial Times Service), The Muse, The Local France, The West Australian, and more. Kara works regularly with lawyers, investment bankers, and finance professionals to help them build presence, authority and influence in business. Get Kara's insights delivered straight to your inbox