Tips for having Fierce Conversations

Good questions to ask to use in a fierce conversation:

What is the most important thing you and I should be talking about?

How have you helped to create this situation?

What is the ideal outcome?

What has become clear since we last we met?

What is the area that, if improved, would give the biggest impact in terms of time, energy and money?

What is currently impossible to do, that if it were possible would change everything?

What is the most potent step you can take to begin to resolve the situation? 

What’s your most important decision and is anything stopping you from making it?

What are you hoping I won’t bring up?

What areas of your responsibility are you avoiding right now?

Who are the strongest on your team and what are you doing to retain them?

If you were competing against MediaCom, what would you do?

Here’s a 10 point plan for that conversation you’re dreading:

1)      Name the issue

2)      Select a specific example that illustrates the situation

3)      Describe your emotions about this

4)      Clarify what is at stake

5)      Identify your contribution to the problem

6)      Indicate your wish to resolve the problem

7)      Invite the person to respond

8)      Enquire as to the person’s view

9)      What have we learned; has everything been said?

10)    Make an agreement with mutual accountability

Taken from the book 'Fierce Conversations' by Susan Scott