Difficult Conversations

Improving Skills at Discussing What Matters Most

Life is full of difficult conversations – where the topics are sensitive, the stakes high, and the outcome uncertain. Many of us put off these conversations when we can, or stumble through when we must. Anxiety, ineffectiveness, misunderstanding or hurt feelings are often the result.

CourageWork sessions on difficult conversations help you prepare for and hold your most difficult conversations in ways that achieve your objectives while strengthening relationships and minimizing damaging forms of conflict. The skills and attitudes learned apply to workplace conversations as well as conversations in your personal and family life. You learn how to decide which conversations need to happen (and which don’t) and how to be more graceful, skillful, and courageous in holding them.

I integrate ideas and practices of my own with insights from:

  • Stone, Patton, and Heen in Difficult Conversations
  • Patterson, Grenny, McMilan and Switzler in Crucial Conversations
  • Michelle LeBaron’s in Bridging Cultural Conflicts
  • Marshall Rosenberg Non-Violent Communication
  • Brené Brown – Dare to Lead and her other books.
  • Loretta J Scott -Calling in the Call Out Culture