As you prepare for the onslaught of visiting with family this Christmas season, a word of encouragement to see you through what can be a challenging time for some. This may serve you well beyond Christmas as you return to the office and navigate some of your challenging workplace relationships also.
Conversations are powerful.
They can shape and change our future. Why do we sometimes find them hard to begin and instead, for many of them, choose to avoid them all together? The potential fall-out; not knowing how do deal with emotions; unknown reactions; blood on the carpet! We dread the worst, and sometimes that is warranted. However, unless we begin them, how will we ever know?
I love Susan Scott’s words from her book, Fierce Conversations…
“While many are afraid of the “real,” it is the unreal conversation that should scare us to death. Whoever said talk is cheap was mistake. Unreal [and unspoken] conversations are incredibly expensive for organisations and for individuals.”
Here are some ideas to encourage you to begin an important conversation characterised by authenticity, openness, curiosity, honesty and listening rather than defensiveness, close-mindedness, fear and judgement? That conversation may change the trajectory of a relationship for the better!
3 tips to give you courage to take that step:
Reflect on what is most important to you and what might be important to the other party before you begin.
Don’t ignore the role of emotions, but they don’t have to define your behaviour. You are in charge of how you act.
Prepare. Write down your thoughts and consider how you might step through stages in the conversation (like an agenda) allowing time to share your own views, listen to the other party’s perspectives and, in your words and actions, let them know you care about their needs and interest.
The team at Oasis People and Culture run workshops on these themes. Register your interest here
