Santa Clara University

Diane M. Hildebrand

What is it that makes a conversation so difficult, why do we avoid them, and why do we often handle them badly? Conversations are incredibly important. They are the building blocks people use to communicate their versions of reality; to invite others to respond and to work together in solving pressing issues. When problems arise in non-effective organizations people either withdraw into silence or say something but only to upper management. In the most effective organizations, people have a difficult conversation, face to face, and they hold it well. This, of course, takes skill and these skills can be learned. I invite you to attend this working session where you will learn how to successfully conduct a difficult conversation. The learning objectives include:

• Understand what makes a conversation difficult.
• Overcome the 5 common mistakes that derail us.
• Identify the steps in preparing a difficult conversation.
• Write an action plan to have difficult conversation.