How to Have Difficult Conversations, with Jennifer Bicknell

You know the conversation you need to have. You've known for weeks. Most of us were never taught how to have a hard conversation, and in a service-based business that gap can cost you sleep, income and the confidence to hold your boundaries.

Left alone, a small issue tends to grow, and a two-minute conversation can quietly turn into a dispute.

In this episode, host Adrienne Donnelly sits down with Jennifer Bicknell, an employment lawyer and self-described dispute prevention advisor with more than thirty years of experience. Jen helps businesses have the conversations that keep small issues small, and she shares a simple planning framework you can use before your next tricky client, team or contractor conversation.

You'll hear about

The three reasons we avoid difficult conversations

Why confidence changes the client power dynamic

Giving candid feedback without the sugar coating

Planning a conversation with the six Ws in minutes

Handling a client concern you weren't meant to see

Hard conversations get easier with a little preparation. A clear what and why, a bit of planning and a willingness to listen can carry you a long way. Choose one conversation you've been putting off and give it two minutes of planning this week. Dealing with it early protects your boundaries, your sleep and your client relationships.

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