18 Reasons to have the Challenging Conversation

And an opportunity to have one! (And enjoy it!)

Have the challenging conversation

For more than a decade I’ve been thinking about challenging conversations.

  • About the people that avoid them at all costs.
  • And about the people that drive over others with their opinions while refusing to listen to another point of view.

How do you usually respond?  (I’ve done both.)

When You KNOW You Are Right: Remember 3 Things…

There are times the truth is camouflaged

We recently purchased a new home and immediately started adding to the garage.

The day the bricklayers came to add brick to the addition, something didn’t seem quite right…

I looked at it, thought it must be my eyes and walked away.

Then I turned around and came back out, looked at it again and it still didn’t seem quite right.

So I took a picture and then I was sure!

I forwarded the picture below to a few friends and didn’t tell them what to look for and just asked them what they saw.

Most of them saw it too…

21 Reasons that it might be time for YOU to Take Action

The answers you are seeking are lying dormant waiting to be released.

Have you ever:

  • Participated in conversations about the behavior of certain titled leaders?
  • Expressed frustration at situations that seem corrupt, not in line with core values or unfair?
  • Wondered why opportunities to problem solve and improve the future were not taken?

Have you ever spoken these words, “Why doesn’t “someone” do something?”  

When the change you want to see isn’t happening “out there”… 

Beyond the puzzle piece: Why the whole picture is so important

In workplaces and nations

ONE piece of a puzzle

A friend recently had an appointment with a doctor. The doctor started to prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms of a gut issue.

So the patient advocated for herself. She reminded the doctor that she has additional medical issues that are bigger than the gut issue. She has osteoporosis and needs a stronger skeletal system and this medicine will make her bones weaker.

The doctor heard her concern and thoughtfully responded, “Well, I guess you need to look at the whole picture.”

At work and in our world is easy to focus on one piece of the puzzle:

Would you employ, elect or reelect someone like this?

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. -Albert Einstein

I walked around the corner and into the office. The moment I saw her, I knew I was going to employ her. A high performing employee had referred her.   She was professionally attired, already chatting with others on the team, and I knew that she had an impressive resume.

In spite of everything that looked so positive, I kept the interview consistent with all others. And not surprisingly, she soared through the first few questions.

And then I asked my favorite one.