Top Tips: Difficult Conversations With Staff

Suitable space

When we are thinking about having a difficult conversation with a colleague, its important that the right place is chosen. Think about ensuring confidentiality of the conversation and allow yourself the prospect for a positive outcome by ensuring there is no interruptions or distractions.

It's important that the room is quiet but also that its not visible for other people to observe that you are having a discussion, or what’s occurring during the duration ion of it. An example is going for a coffee or lunch off site, so that it has a more relaxed atmosphere, with no distractions or concerns.

Timing

It is vital that not only do you choose the correct place to have a conversation, but you consider the timing of these conversation. Planning to have a conversation and allotting a suitable time (as well as place as previous mentioned) is key to giving yourself the prospect of a positive outcome.

If the conversation is to do with a particular event/issue that has occurred, again timing is important. Don’t have the conversation whilst your still feeling annoyed or angry, but don’t allow too much time to go past that the discussion may seem irrelevant to your colleague. It’s a balancing act, but the next top tip will help ensure you get the balance right.

Have clear discussion points

It is important before you meet with a colleague to have a difficult conversation that you are clear on what you want to discuss and why. Using club documents or guidelines such as your roles and responsibilities as a starting point for clarity can be useful.

Other times such as your teams documented expectations or definition of team culture can serve a great neutral ground, assuming it was a shared piece of work created with all staff at the beginning of the season.

Who needs to be in the room?

Think about if there is a need for any other staff members to be in the room whilst your having this discussion. If the event/issue relates to more than one of your colleagues, then its about thinking if its beneficial to have everyone that the discussion may effect in the room at the same time.

Sometimes it’s a consideration to have split conversations, as it may be that more information is needed before having a greater discussion with more than one colleague.

Have an open mind

The last tip for having a difficult conversation with a colleague, is to think about how they are seeing this issue or problem. Try and look at the issue through the other persons lens, to better understand why they have behaved, reacted, or made the decision they have.

This will not only allow for a better foundation for the conversation that may occur, but will also then allow for you to possibly be able to come with some solutions prior to the meeting that may work for you and your colleague.