Question

Which of the following should you do when approaching a difficult conversation?
1. Invite others to tell their stories and describe their feelings.
2. Enter into the conversation with a learner mind-set.
3. Resist listening to the opinions and suggestions of others and impose your own solutions.
4. Engage in a joint process of understanding the problems and creating solutions

Answer 1

Choose 1, 2, and 4 — do not do 3.

- 1 (Invite others to tell their stories and describe their feelings): Encourages understanding and reduces defensiveness.
- 2 (Enter with a learner mind-set): Opens you to new information and helps you avoid assumptions.
- 4 (Engage in a joint process of understanding the problems and creating solutions): Promotes buy‑in and better, more sustainable outcomes.

- 3 (Resist listening and impose your solutions) is counterproductive — it shuts down dialogue and usually increases conflict.