Hard Conversations: Performance Issues and Tough News

The conversations you avoid are the ones that define you as a manager. This lesson covers the hardest talks: performance problems, missed deadlines, and tough news, and how to deliver them with honesty and respect. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: 1. Prepare for a difficult conversation with a written plan covering the facts, the goal, an opening line, and expected responses, before you schedule it. 2. Deliver one piece of tough news or a performance warning using a soft start-up, hard content structure, and keep the conversation forward-looking. 3. Send a follow-up email within 24 hours of the conversation that documents the agreed action plan, timeline, and consequences if applicable.