GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program

Module Eight
Having Difficult Conversations

Participant Booklet
 Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Module Eight – Having Difficult Conversations

2. What is a Difficult Conversation?

3. Sharing Personal Experiences

4. Why Certain Conversations Are Difficult

5. Negative Self-Talk Related to Difficult Conversations

6. When Conversations Move From Easy to Difficult

7. Let it Go

8. Continued Conversation With Your Partner

9. Three Conversations Going On

10. Role Plays

11. Six Stages in Difficult Conversations

12. Getting Started

13. Practice Opening Statements

14. Practice Creating “The Third Story”

15. Practice Listening Deeply and Speaking Clearly

16. Practice Solving Problems Collaborative

17. Strategies for Difficult Conversations

18. Summary Thoughts

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 Introduction to Module Eight
Having Difficult Conversations

Difficult conversations are anything we find hard to talk about with another person. There are
a number of reasons that make certain conversations difficult and an easy conversation can
become a difficult conversation very quickly. There are also times when it is important not to
engage in a difficult conversation and let it go. This knowledge can help inform your approach
to difficult conversations as well as influence the skills and strategies you will use.

Whenever you have a difficult conversation with someone, there are usually three
conversations going on at the same time: the “what happened” conversation, the “feelings”
conversation, and the “identity conversation.” There are also a number of stages to a difficult
conversation as well as specific skills and strategies that will help you participate effectively in
these hard discussions. When researchers have studied people who are very successful at
difficult conversations they discovered two things: one, problems are solved and two,
relationships are maintained and improved.

This module will help you understand the dynamics and reasons why these conversations are so
difficult. It will also help you gain some experience in the skills and strategies that are necessary
to ensure these conversations go well. We will practice these skills and strategies through the
use of numerous role-plays and coaching. Participants will have opportunities to reflection on
their attempts at having difficult conversations and learn strategies for dealing with stressful
situations and strained relationships.

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 What is a Difficult Conversation?

• Difficult conversations are anything we find hard to talk about with another person.

• It could be:

o Telling someone bad news

o Asking for a raise at work

o Giving someone negative feedback about their behavior

o Ending a relationship

o Talking about tension points in a relationship

o Asking for something you need

o Confronting someone about a problem

o Making decisions about finances

o Talking to an instructor about frustrations

o Challenging a grade on an assignment or test

o Raising issues with a supervisor or someone in a power position

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 Sharing Personal Experiences
Think of a difficult conversation you have participated in within the past six months. Write a
few notes related to the questions below. Turn to your partner and share your personal
experience about this difficult conversation.

What was the conversation about?

What went well?

What did not go well? Why?

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 Why Certain Conversations Are Difficult

• Emotions are usually strong.

• People have very different views about the topic.

• It can impact our self-esteem.

• There is real uncertainty about how it will turn out.

• People worry about it going badly and hurting the relationship.

• Typically people care about the issue and the person involved.

• People have few experiences or models of these conversations going well.

• Often times there is a power difference between the people.

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 Negative Self-Talk Related to
Difficult Conversations

Self-Talk That “This problem will only continue anyway.”

Encourages
Avoidance
“I am not sure I have the courage to take this on.”

“These negative feelings are not going to go

away even if I talk to him.”

Self-Talk That “The problem is only going to get worse

Cautions if I confront her”
Confrontation

“I may hurt the person unintentionally.”

“She may attack and hurt me.”

“These conversations usually go bad for me.”

This self-talk can stop you from having difficult conversations.

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 When Conversations Move
From Easy to Difficult

People typically: 1. Go Silent

2. Drop Hints

3. Withdraw

4. Use Force
(cut people off, argue, attack ideas,
insult, harshly debate, threaten)

Moves to a
Difficult Conversation
Emotions
Rise

Talk – Moves to
Tension Points

Ofte
Having an Often you have no
Easy Conversation time to prepare

Source: Patterson, K., Grenny, J., MacMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2005). Crucial conversations. New York: McGraw Hill.

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 Let It Go

When you are considering having a difficult conversation with someone, it is important to step
back and think about whether or not you should stop and let it go. There are times when
having a difficult conversation is a bad idea.

They include:

• when the tension or conflict is within you, not between you

• when there is another way to resolve the tension other than talking about it

• when you are not clear on your purpose in having the difficult conversation

• when emotions are very high

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 Continued Conversation With Your Partner

What made your conversation difficult?

What self-talk was going on in your head before, during, and after the conversation?

Can you think of a time when you decided to let an issue go and not have a difficult
conversation? Why?

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 Three Conversations Going On

Whenever you have a difficult conversation with someone, there are usually three
conversations going on at the same time. You need to pay attention and sort out all three
conversations.

1. The “What Happened”

Conversation

3. The “Identity”
2. The “Feelings”
Conversation
Conversation

Source: Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, S. (1999). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most. New
York: Penguin Books

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The “What’s Happened” Conversation
This typically involves people disagreeing about what really happened or what should have
happened. It is based on the assumption that I am right and you are wrong and it often leads to
arguing and debating. This is where people spend most of their time during difficult
conversations. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Who’s to blame? Who did their part and who did
not? This conversation is often filled with many assumptions that are not true, which increases
the complexity of the problem. People often get locked into their story being the right story
and seeing the other person as “the problem.”

The “Feeling” Conversation

This conversation is about what we should do with our emotions and how to identify and
manage strong feelings when they arise. And feelings will come to the surface in a difficult
conversation. People talk to themselves about remaining rational during difficult conversations
and often struggle with expressing and understanding their feelings. Bringing up emotions can
be a risk and it can make people feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. The two hardest and most
challenging tasks in a difficult conversation are expressing feelings and listening.

The “Identity” Conversation

This conversation is often under the surface, a quiet conversation we have inside ourselves. It
is about who we are and how we see ourselves. There are many identity questions we ask
ourselves before, during, and after difficult conversations. We may question how the difficult
conversation will change our self-esteem or self-image. In other words, will it change my sense
of who I am? Will it expose my self-doubts? How will people see me afterwards? How will I see
myself afterwards? These questions and concerns are especially relevant when difficult
conversations do not go well.

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 Role Plays

Form triads. Two people engage in a conversation. The third person gives feedback on what
helped and what hurt the conversation.

Role Play One

Riley and Casey are friends. Riley promised to go to a party on Friday night with Casey. At the
last minute Riley backed out without giving a real reason. Casey did not feel comfortable going
to the party alone. They missed a great opportunity to break in with a new group of friends. It
is Monday morning and Casey is upset and wants to talk about it with Riley.

Role Play Two

Dakota and Sidney are friends and classmates. They are working on a group project together
that is due within a week. Dakota is not doing his share of the work. He keeps showing up
without his part of the work completed. Sidney is not happy and is tired of carrying the load,
but they need a good mark on the project which is 10% of their overall grade.

Role Play Three

Taylor is an employee at Arrows Supermarket and Peyton is the supervisor. Taylor has been
working at Arrows for two years. Peyton routinely asks Taylor to cover shifts for other
employees, to do the more difficult tasks, and to go the extra mile. Taylor wants to talk to
Peyton about a raise. Peyton is known for not giving raises to employees.

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 Role Play Observer Feedback

Name Name

What the person said or did that HELPED the What the person said or did that HELPED the
conversation conversation

What the person said or did that HURT the What the person said or did that HURT the
conversation conversation

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 During Difficult Conversations

“Don’t take the conversation away from the other person and fill the airtime with your stories.
This practice of taking the conversation away from the other person and making it about
ourselves goes on every day and is a huge relationship killer and a waste of time.”

Scott, S. (2004). Fierce conversations. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

“What I most regretted in my life were my silences. My silences had not protected me. Your
silences will not protect you. We can learn to work and speak when we are afraid.”

Lorde, A. (Poet)

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

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 Six Stages of a Difficult Conversation

1. Getting Started

2. Inviting the Person to Participate (Your Opening Statement)

3. Creating the Third Story

(The Core of the Conversation)

4. Listening Deeply

5. Speaking With Clarity and Conviction

6. Solving Problems Collaboratively

(Reaching Agreement on the Way Forward)

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Getting Started

Your first decision is to consider whether or not you want to proceed with the difficult
conversation. Is there another more effective way to solve the problem? Should you just let it
go because the issue is not important enough and/or the relationship risk may be much greater
than the possible gain?

Activity 4
Getting Started

Think about a time that you had a difficult conversation that went badly. If you
had your time back what would you do differently? Why? Would you even have
the conversation?

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Inviting the Person to Participate

• Once you have decided to initiate the difficult conversation it is very important to be
clear on your purpose or intention. What is it that you are hoping to achieve or change
by having this conversation?

• It is also very important to write out and refine the content of your opening statement.
This is where many difficult conversations begin to fail. It is very hard to recover from a
poorly crafted and poorly delivered opening statement. Your opening statement can be
viewed as an honest invitation or it can be perceived as a threat that actually shuts
down the other person. This is why it is critical to write down and rehearse your opening
statement until you are satisfied that it communicates exactly what you want to say.
Your opening statement has the greatest chance to influence a positive result. It can
also be the most stressful part of the conversation.

• In your opening statement it is important to do the following four things:

o Describe your purpose (mutual understanding, problem solving)
o Talk about the need to figure out how to go forward.
o Clearly share your own view of the problem or issue.
o Invite them to share their perspective or story.

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 Framework for the Opening Statement in
a Difficult Conversation

Invitation to Engage

• I was wondering if we can talk about _______________________________

• I am not sure I am correct in my thinking about _______________________

• I want to check with you about how ________________________________

Expressing Your Purpose

• I want us to express our different points of view about _________________

• I intend to hear how you see the problem

• I want to reach agreement on how to go forward with you

Describing the Gap

At this point it is important to describe the gap between what has happened and what was
expected

• Example – “I have not seen you follow through or complete assigned tasks between
team meetings. For example, at the last two team meetings you agreed to find
information about the construction site and bring recommendations to the team based
on this information. I am beginning to wonder about your commitment to the team and
your ability to do this work. All team members need to carry their fair share of the
workload.”

The Question

End you opening statement with a question that invites the other person to present how they
see the problem. For example, “Do I have this right or am I missing something?” NOW LISTEN!

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 Practice Opening Statements

Work in triads. Go back to the role plays on page 13. Each person picks one of the role plays
and writes an opening statement that includes the following components. Then, practice
delivering your opening statements.

Invitation to Engage

Express Your Purpose

Describe the Gap

Ask the Question

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Creating the Third Story

• Creating the third story is a critical part of moving the difficult conversation forward and
in a positive direction.

• You have your story and they have their story. It is important not to get locked into
your stories.

• You need to shape or develop a “third story” that describes the problem as a difference.

• Example – “We have different experiences or views on this. I am questioning your

commitment and ability to do the work and you are telling me other people on the team
and in the company are not cooperating in providing the information you requested.
Tell me more about this lack of cooperation.”

• Once you create the “third story” both people feel their individual story is
acknowledged and it is being considered as a real part of the conversation. The “third
story” helps to create buy-in and a sense that we need to solve this problem together.
As long as you stay in your story and they stay in their story, it will be difficult to move
the conversation forward.

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 Practice Creating “The Third Story”

Form new triads. Two people are in the conversation and the third is observing. The third
person is responsible for creating the “third story” when the two people stop talking.

Role Play Four

Claire is a student. Derek is an instructor. Claire has received a low grade on an assignment.
She is caught off guard since all her other assignments have received good grades. The
instructor has a reputation of marking harder as the semester unfolds and is known for rarely
changing marks. Claire has asked for a meeting with Derek.

Role Play Five

Jesse is a foreman who wants to be liked by his team and he avoids confrontations. He goes to
Sage, his supervisor, and informs him about some issues that are developing. While he has
good trades people, their work is slipping and not up to quality. Jesse wants Sage to go
reprimand the workers. Sage believes it is Jesse’s responsibility to deal with problems on his
team.

Role Play Six

Jenna is a 16-year old who has proven that she is a safe and defensive driver. She has plans to
meet friends on Saturday night. The weather is turning bad and the temperature is dropping.
The forecast is not good. Jenna wants to go driving anyway and meet her friends. Patricia, her
mom, does not think that this is a good decision.

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 Observer Template
The observer writes notes on story one and story two. Then, the observer creates the third
story and shares it with the people in the role play.

Story One

Story Two

Third Story

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Listening Deeply

• In the early stages of a difficult conversation, following your open statement, it is very
important to listen more than you talk. Use your active listening skills, with the intention
of understanding their story, before elaborating on your story.

• Ask open-ended questions and gather as much information as you can about what they
see happening, how they are feeling, and how they view themselves in this situation.
This will help to touch on each of the three conversations (what happened, feelings,
identity).

• Ask targeted questions at times so the person has an opportunity to clarify what they
are saying. This will help to avoid you misunderstanding or misinterpreting pieces of
their story.

• Listen to your internal voice. What is your intuition or gut feeling telling you about what
you are really hearing and what you need to say?

• It is important to understand that acknowledging you hear and understand someone

does not mean that you agree with them. Example: “I can understand why you could
see a lack of recognition for employees as the problem in this company. I see it
differently, I _______________________.”

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Speaking With Clarity and Conviction

• The other person needs to hear your story. When you have the opportunity to elaborate
on your story, you need to talk about:
o What you see happening
o Why you see it the way you do
o How you feel about the situation or problem
o What you value related to the content of the conversation

• It is important for you to have the courage to be honest and say what needs to be said.
Difficult conversations are often about standing up for yourself and being assertive
about expressing your wants and needs.

• During the early stages of “telling your story” say what is at the heart of the matter for
you.
1. What is most important to me is __________________________
2. What I’m really feeling is ________________________________
3. For me, this is about ____________________________________

• When telling your story you need to be very clear. Do not use vague language and
generalizations such as “always” and “never.” Your primary role at this point is to help
them understand you, so it is important to check in with them for their understanding.
o What are you hearing me say?
o What is the main point I am trying to get across?
o Is there anything you don’t understand in what I am saying?

• Try not to present your story as “the truth” or the right interpretation of what is
happening. Your tone, as well as your words, can break down communication during a
difficult conversation. Again, remind the other person that it is the way you see it and it
is okay to see the problem differently. At this point, it is important to talk about the
“third story,” a combination of both your stories.

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 Practice Listening Deeply and Speaking Clearly

Role Play Seven

Jamie is a basketball player on the college team and he is frustrated that he is not getting
enough court time and thinks that he and a few of the other players are being treated unfairly.
Certain players are playing as individuals and are concerned about scoring, while others are
focused on teamwork. Dallas, the coach, feels that Jamie is not giving his best effort and that he
has an arrogant attitude. The coach has scheduled a meeting with Jamie.

Role Play Eight

Kerry is the foreman on the factory floor in a car plant. He talks negatively and criticizes people
in front of other workers. He is tough and demanding and threatens to fire people. The power
of being a foreman has gone to his head. He thinks he can get away with pushing people
around. The work group has identified Jordon as the spokesperson to go speak with Kerry and
to call him on the bullying. Jordon’s father is the CFO with the company. Jordon is not worried
about the job because he going back to college.

Role Play Nine

Robin wants to travel and work in South America. She believes strongly that people need to
reach out and help those who are less fortunate. She is a risk taker and loves adventure. Her
friend Jo thinks this is very dangerous and that Robin is naïve about the possible things that
could go wrong. Jo is worried about robbery, Robin getting sick and not having access to proper
medical care, hostage taking, and her simply disappearing. Jo wants Robin to stay home and do
“good work” within her own country.

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 Observer Notes

Use the following questions to guide your observations.

Listener Speaker

Where did the listener: Where did the speaker:

• Use open-ended questions • Clearly explain their viewpoint

• Paraphrase • Express their feelings

• Summarize • Share what they value

• Check for thinking and feeling • Explain their thinking

• Follow the speaker’s story • Highlight what is most important

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Solving Problems Collaboratively – Agreeing on the Way Forward

• At the stage where you have both listened to one another and you have reached a
common understanding of the essence of the problem, it is now time to move into
problem solving. Both of you need to focus on finding solutions and talk more about the
present and the future versus the past.

• Brainstorming creative ways to solve the problem is a good strategy when you move
into problem solving. You want to bring as many options as possible into your
conversation. Remember the rules for brainstorming: no discussion or judgment about
ideas, record all ideas, generate many ideas, wild ideas are okay, build on each other’s
thinking.

• Following the brainstorming session, where possible solutions have been identified, you
both need to step back and begin to discuss what options or solutions meet both your
concerns. This part of a difficult conversation will likely require compromise and paying
attention to your own needs as well as the needs of the other person.

• You may get stuck at this point in the discussion because not every difficult conversation
can be resolved by mutual agreement. If you get stuck and cannot agree on a solution
or the path forward ask the following questions:
1. What is still missing?
2. Have we considered all our possible options?
3. Do we need to consult someone else to help us find a solution?
4. Why are we stuck?
5. What changes can we make to any of the promising options that will satisfy
both of us?
6. Where else can we compromise?

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 • At this stage, you may need to discuss the following critical question:
Are we both prepared to walk away and accept the consequences of
not reaching an agreement?
This discussion can often break the impasse and people will back off on holding tight to
certain options. You may need to discuss what the natural consequences of no
agreement will be.

• Hopefully at this late stage in the difficult conversation you can reach agreement on a
solution that is fair and workable for both people. You need to be very clear what the
agreement means for new individual behavior and follow-up actions. In other words,
this agreement means:
o we both will _____________________
o you will _____________________
o I will ________________________

• Plan to meet for a follow-up conversation within 30 days to ensure there is movement
on the agreement. A difficult conversation may need a number of meetings to solve the
problem and establish new behavior patterns.

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 Solving Problems Collaboratively

Where did you observe participants engaged in …

Creative Brainstorming

Discussing Options

Compromising

Trying to Get Unstuck

Pushing for a Final Win-

Win Agreement

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 Strategies for Difficult Conversations

1. Stop arguing about who’s right. Explore each other’s story. Arguing is not helpful, it
simply increases anger, hurt, and frustration and interferes with the clarity of your
thinking.

2. Avoid thinking that “they are the problem.” Catch yourself thinking “they are selfish,
they are controlling” and remember “they have their own story.”

3. Acknowledge the different stories during the conversation. We each take in different
information, which become our observations. We then reach our own conclusions
based on different interpretations.

4. Move from “I’m right” to “I’m trying to understand.” People almost never change
without first feeling understood. To get anywhere in a disagreement we need to
understand the other person’s story well enough to see how their conclusions make
sense.

5. Never assume you know a person’s intention. It is a critical and common mistake
when people are trying to resolve their disagreement. Our assumptions are frequently
wrong and we often think the worst when engaged in discussing tension points in a
relationship.

6. Abandon blame. It is more important to understand how each person contributed to

creating the problem. Blame is often a big issue in many difficult conversations.
Focusing on blame usually limits our ability to learn what is really causing the problem.
Blame is about judging and looking to the past. We need to focus on understanding
and looking forward for solutions.

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 7. When there is a need to have a difficult conversation with someone, there are always
ways in which you contributed to the problem. Both people must talk about and take
responsibility for how they are contributing to the conflict.

8. People need to identify their feelings during difficult conversations. Recognizing our
feelings is often challenging and more of a problem than people acknowledge.
Feelings are very good at disguising themselves, especially those feelings that create
discomfort.

9. Many of us cannot identify our own feelings because we have learned somewhere
along the line that the feelings of others are more important than ours. Avoid this
thinking trap. Expressing your feelings is as important as understanding their
emotions.

10. Encourage the other person to express their feelings before you start down the road
of problem solving.

11. The path to changing your feelings is through changing your thinking. As long as you
continue to think that someone is intentionally trying to hurt you this thinking will
greatly influence your feelings. It is important to monitor your thinking and check the
assumptions you are making.

12. We all have our hot buttons or sensitivities that can trigger quick reactions. It is
important for you to know your hot spots and try to remain calm and stay balanced
when someone pushes your buttons.

13. If the stress or tension is rising during your conversation, take a break and regroup.
Talk with one another about what’s happening at the time (tension rising or an
impasse) and come back to the conversation later.

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 14. Beware of one-sided and “either-or” thinking. This is where people fall into the trap of
the solution needing to be either ________ or ________. Also, the solution has got to
be ______________. This way of thinking is about winning or losing.

15. If you find yourself hesitating to engage in a difficult conversation, examine what is
going on inside your own personal story. Our stories create meaning for us and strong
feelings or judgments. Get in touch with these feelings and closely examine your story.

16. Try to reach a win-win agreement on the solution to the problem. Do not assume
silence or going along with suggestions is an agreement. Schedule a follow-up meeting
to talk to the other person about what’s changed related to the agreement.

Strategy Why This Strategy?

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 Summary Thoughts
1. What are your most important lessons learned in this module on difficult
conversations?

2. What will you find most challenging in difficult conversations?

3. What is one part of difficult conversations that you are going to work on in the next 30
days?

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