Video: How to Begin a Difficult Conversation

Difficult conversations with employees is an essential part of effective leadership. Whether addressing performance, behavior, expectations or accountability, these conversations help employees understand what is needed, where they stand and how they can move forward. Avoiding them can create confusion, frustration and missed opportunities for growth.

Holding Difficult Conversations is Easier with an Opening

The way a difficult conversation begins matters. The opening sets the tone, creates clarity and helps determine whether the employee feels attacked, surprised or invited into a productive discussion. A strong opening should be direct, respectful and grounded in the purpose of the conversation. When leaders begin a difficult conversation with clarity and care, they increase the likelihood that the conversation will lead to understanding, ownership and meaningful change.

In this video, we share a few key phrases and tips on how to begin a difficult conversation.

Holding Difficult Conversations Improves Performance Outcomes

Through tailored development, leaders can benefit from the structure, language and practice they need to approach difficult conversations with greater confidence and skill. When leaders know how to prepare, open the conversation, listen, respond and agree on next steps, they are better equipped to address issues early and constructively. This has the potential to have a clear business impact, such as:

• Improving quality of work product and service.
• Reducing turnover and thereby avoiding costs associated with hiring replacements.
• Improving achievement of targets and increasing productivity levels.
• Reducing escalations and employee relations complaints.

As leaders become more confident in holding difficult conversations with employees, they are more likely to engage employees directly, reduce misunderstandings and create clearer expectations. Over time, this strengthens accountability, trust and performance across the team.

Effective leaders manage in such a way as to prevent as many performance problems as they can. They set expectations, provide ongoing feedback and communicate well. But they also don't shy away from delivering difficult messages or holding a difficult conversation with an employee when it's important to results.

Explore ways to build leader confidence in holding difficult conversations