This collection walks clients through the full arc of a difficult conversation — from understanding why they're hard, through preparation and delivery, to follow-up and repair. It covers 13 topics across four stages. Each topic includes a micro lesson, blind spots, journal prompts, and a habit builder.
The four stages:
Understanding What Makes It Difficult — The emotional and psychological dynamics: the three layers underneath every difficult conversation, the stories we tell ourselves before we start talking, and your default conflict style.
Preparing for the Conversation — Getting clear before you speak: clarifying your real purpose, separating impact from intent, and planning an opening that invites dialogue rather than triggers defence.
Navigating the Conversation — Staying effective when things get tense: leading with curiosity, managing emotional flooding, saying the hard thing clearly and kindly, and finding shared ground.
After the Conversation — Following up and following through on commitments, repairing when it went badly, and extracting learning through structured reflection.