As professionals or business owners, at times we are forced to deal with difficult people. I just finished a great book titled: Crucial Conversations which discusses how to deal with difficul conversations successfully. Here are some tips I would like to pass on to you, the successful business woman, to hopefully help turn negative energy conversations into more productive, positive ones.

1. Understand the issue to be discussed before the conversation.
2. Examine your personal motivation behind why you need to have the conversation.
3. Focus on resolving the issue.
4. Avoid blame
5. Remember that people own their feelings. Validate their feelings during the conversation.

When all is said and done, you are the boss, but you will get further along with your staff and others when you have mutually beneficial crucial conversations that provide a positive outcome.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 6:00 am and is filed under Professionals, Women Only. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.