How to Handle Difficult Discussions

Here are a few dos and don'ts of dealing with conflict with a team member.

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How to Handle Difficult Discussions A Lot More Conversation, a Little Less Action In the world of awkwardness, difficult situations, and just plain don't-want-to-do-it, almost nothing ranks higher than having to tackle a tough conversation with a team member. The only thing easy about it is to put it off. So how do you handle these tough situations when your natural instinct is to totally avoid them? Here are a few dos and don'ts of dealing with conflict. Don't put it off. Revenge may be a dish that tastes best served cold—at least according to Don Corleone—but if you are having an issue with one of your team members, it needs to be handled as soon as possible. Procrastination not only hurts you and the person involved, but also your whole staff as they watch sanctioned incompetence or continual bad behavior without repercussions. Like Dave says, "If you allow people to misbehave, underachieve, have a bad attitude, gossip and generally avoid excellence, please don't expect to attract and keep great talent. Please don't expect to have an incredible culture." Do get it on your calendar. Schedule an appointment for a meeting with the person who is having an issue and block out enough time to get the problem solved. It's not fair for either you or the team member to rush with the end result being no resolution for either of you. Read the rest at EntreLeadership.com. Upcoming EntreLeadership Events Quick Tip By John Felkins EntreLeadership Coaching and Community How do you inspire team members who are not motivated? You can't just cram a message down their throat. Begin by talking about the problem, and then surround them with a bunch of winners and see if they become one too. Give them every opportunity to change. If they don't, they really don't need to work for you. Your team needs to be on the field, fighting to win. None of us have time to drag along any benchwarmers. Download our free digital magazine designed to help business leaders win! Learn more about your DISC profile Jim King Vice President, Education Solutions Having a difficult conversation with a team member is never easy. But putting it off and letting it linger can cause even more problems. Location is just as important as timing. The meeting needs to be in a formal setting. A discussion at the water cooler will not be taken seriously and minimizes the issue. Plus, you may embarrass the person, who probably doesn't want colleagues to hear what you are saying. As a leader, it's your job to empower your team to do the best job possible. Sometimes it includes some tough discussions along the way. So get it done quickly and privately, and then everyone can move on.

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