Tips for Professional Communication in High-Pressure Situations

You only get two tokens. Use them well. In high-stakes conversations, when trust is fragile and pressure is high, most people only absorb two things. Two truths. Two reasons. Two points that land. This is the Two Token Theory, a concept from former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, author of “Never Split the Difference”. The idea: In any negotiation, once you offer more than two justifications, people stop listening. Or worse: they start using your own words against you. Customer is angry? - Don’t offer five excuses. - Say: “We missed the alert. And we didn’t escalate fast enough. That’s on us now and we’ve already fixed it.” Two tokens. That’s all they need. That’s all they’ll hear. Future customer pushing on price? - Don’t rattle off your full feature set. - Say: “We’ve demonstrated how we’ll reduce downtime by 32%. And you’ll be live in 30 days. That’s where the ROI is.” Then stop. Let them sit with it. Boss says HR’s putting you on a performance plan? - Don’t explain everything that went wrong this quarter. - Say: “I missed quota. But I booked five meetings and reactivated two deals this week. I’m not done.” Own it. Show momentum. Nothing else is needed. We over-explain when we feel pressure. But pressure is when clarity matters most. So next time you’re in the moment, remember this: You get two tokens. Make them count. Then let the silence carry your weight. You can always say more. But you can’t unsay what didn’t land.

You do it. I’ve done it.  We need to stop. Last year, I was doing some self-reflection. I wanted to improve my conversations. The answer came, "Stop being defensive." Wait, what? I did not feel like I was? I looked a bit closer and started to see opportunity to change and get better. You’ve seen the sign but ignore it. Warning: “Do Not Escalate” Why do your conversations sometimes go sidewise? Let's talk about the art of staying grounded. Why does the choice not to be defensive matter? I’m not talking about the stomp-your-foot talk or the angry and strong response talk. → I’m talking about the subtle defensiveness we all do.  It can often start with an innocent response. You share an idea, a thought, a help, and it lands wrong.  → We want to straighten it out.  → Correct them, if you will.  Watch out for that. Maybe, don’t do that.  Here's what you don't need: 1. Communication that unnecessarily escalates conflicts. 2. A mindset that blocks understanding and empathy. 3. An attitude that damages relationships over time. Three Stop Signs You Should Heed: 1. Stop defending every stance you hold.  2. Stop letting defensiveness hinder your communication.  3. Stop allowing defensiveness to strain your relationships.  Choosing not to defend every stance will transform conflicts into conversations. → It's about picking your battles wisely. Want to let go of being defensive? Here's what you do need: 1. Openness to listen without immediate judgment. 2. Patience to let the moment pass and respond when the time is right. 3. Courage to address misunderstandings with clarity, perhaps later. Embrace the Power of Pause: → Give space for dialogue to flourish. → Allow empathy to bridge gaps. Benefits Await: → Discover a new level of dialogue that fosters understanding. → Build stronger, more resilient personal and professional bonds. → Encourage an environment where growth and learning are nurtured. Three Action Steps to Non-Defensive Communication: Practice active listening. → Hear the message, not just the words. 2. Reflect before you react. → Is this a moment for silence or speech? 3. Choose clarity over confrontation. → Seek to understand, then to be understood. How do you keep yourself from being defensive? Like this content? Ring the 🔔 to Follow ♻️ Repost to share

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟑 𝐨𝐟 𝟑: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 Difficult conversations are inevitable in project management. Deadlines slip, expectations shift, and sometimes, personalities clash. The key is to approach these situations strategically, ensuring open communication and a path towards resolution. Here are 3 practical strategies to navigate these conversations: - Focus on the project, not the person. Don't Play the Blame Game: Frame the conversation as a collaborative problem-solving exercise. Use "I" Statements: Express your concerns and frustrations in a way that avoids accusations. - Seek solutions. Embrace Brainstorming: Encourage participation from everyone involved and consider all options before making a decision. Be Open to Compromise: Be willing to adjust your approach while keeping the project objectives at the forefront. - Find common ground even in a disagreement. Identify Shared Goals: Despite different perspectives, there's likely a common goal you're both working towards. Acknowledge the Other Person's Point of View: Even if you disagree, validate their concerns. Share your strategies for navigating difficult conversations. Join the conversation in the comments. #communication #leadership #projectmanagement

Don't let workplace annoyances rock your boat. How? By mastering emotional resilience. I used to begin each workday like a calm pond, only to be disrupted by coworker drama - for example, an unwanted escalation pointing fingers at my team when a simple call would have cleared up the misunderstanding. These irritants felt like a metaphorical boulder upsetting my inner calm. The water churns, emotions rise, and finding the right response was a struggle. We all face situations that test our emotional resilience – a passive-aggressive email, an outburst in a meeting, a looming deadline. But here's the good news: You have the power to choose your response. As Viktor Frankl famously said, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Developing emotional resilience isn't about suppressing your emotions or pretending everything is fine. It's about recognizing the space between the trigger and your reaction and using it to choose a mindful response. Here are three tips: 1. Take a Deep Breath: When you feel your emotions rising, take a few slow, deep breaths. This simple act can activate your body's relaxation response and help you regain composure. 2. Reframe the Situation: Instead of letting negativity take over, try to reframe the situation in a more positive light. Perhaps a difficult colleague's behavior is due to their own stress, not a personal attack. 3. Develop Pre-Planned Responses: For particularly tricky situations, consider having a few go-to phrases on hand. For example, if someone is being disruptive, I'll say, "Let's take a moment to refocus and get back on track with the agenda." By practicing to take a breath, reframing challenges, and choosing my responses, I've been strengthening my emotional resilience. What is your best tip for staying cool under pressure at work? 

How do you prevent mayhem when crises occur that affect you and your team? Bridges collapse. Criminals mow down innocent victims. CEOs have heart attacks. Contagious diseases spread. Layoffs happen. Such crises create havoc as misinformation and fear run rampant through an organization or team. So what’s your part in calming the hysteria among your team? Communication. Communication that’s current, consistent, and complete. When I’ve consulted on handling crisis communication previously, I often get this question from bosses: “But how can I tell people what’s going on when we haven’t yet investigated and don’t have the facts?” That’s never an excuse for delayed communication. Be mindful that when people don’t have the facts, they tend to make them up. In a communication void, people pass on what they think, fear, or imagine. Noise. Keep these communication tips in mind to be part of the solution, not the noise: ▶ Tell what you know as soon as you know it. ▶ State what information you don’t have and tell people what you’re investigating. ▶ Stifle the urge to comment on/add to rumors, fears, guesses. ▶ Communicate concern specifically to those directly affected. ▶ Offer tangible support when you can (time, money, acts of kindness). ▶ Communicate kudos to those working behind the scenes. Accurate, speedy communication creates relationships and cultures that build trust and encourage loyalty. Have you been affected by a crisis? Was it handled well or poorly? Outlandish rumors that circulated? #CrisisCommunication #LeadershipCommunication #BusinessCommunication #ProfessionalCommunication #DiannaBooher #BooherResearch

I've developed a personal toolkit to manage tough conversations with clients without compromising my peace of mind: advocacy scripts. These aren't just strategic; they're gifts to my nervous system. By preparing these responses, I decrease the emotional labor required in real-time discussions and ensure that I can guide our projects more effectively. I have a ton, so if you want to see more, comment below! ✨ Here’s why these scripts are crucial: ➡ Reducing Emotional Labor: They allow me to engage in necessary conversations without the drain of crafting responses on the fly under stress. ➡ Maintaining Focus: These scripts align my team and clients with our core mission of equitable innovation, ensuring that every decision supports this goal. ➡ Guiding Direction: They serve as compasses, pointing our project strategies towards inclusivity and integrity, even when the path is challenging. These scripts are more than just words; they are my daily leadership practice.

I had a conversation recently with a friend about one of the most crucial skills in life: tone in written communications. These days emails, chats, texts, DMs all fly back and forth at a crazy pace. Remote work has amplified the need to be a good communicator. And sometimes we receive messages that make us go …oh hell naw. Whether it's at work or in life we're all working hard to solve problems and that's no walk in the park. We face challenging situations and people. And sometimes a firm message needs to be delivered. But the message delivery matters. It impacts whether people view you as a leader or an enfant terrible. And it impacts work culture. Effective communication plays a huge role in a positive work environment. I mean, let's be clear, I screw this up all the time. I have a fantasy of signing off on emails with unhinged signatures like Sincerely (taken aback), or Lukewarm regards. But, alas, no. There's no easy way to do this. But a few lessons I've learned along the way: 1. When you get that chat or email that's got you on fire do not respond immediately. Wait. It's amazing how distracting yourself for even 15 minutes works wonders. 2. Put yourself in the shoes of the recipient. How would you want to be addressed? 3. Get some (honest) feedback – not necessarily from your echo chamber, but from someone who will tell you the truth. So, the next time you're drafting an email or firing off a quick chat message, remember the power of tone. It's not just about the words you use, but how you use them. #CommunicationSkills #ToneMatters #EffectiveLeadership

Staying confident and assertive in high-pressure situations isn't just about puffing your chest out; it's a mental game, a strategy. It starts with preparation. You've got to be so well-prepared that you know the material better than anyone else in the room. Knowledge isn’t just power; it’s confidence. 🔥Practice stress inoculation. Put yourself in high-pressure situations regularly. It’s like building muscle. The more you lift, the stronger you get. The more you expose yourself to stress, the more resilient you become. Start small, then escalate. Speak up in meetings, then pitch to clients, then lead a project. Scale your exposure. 🔥Then there’s the mindset. Adopt a growth mindset. Every high-pressure situation is a chance to learn, not just a win or lose scenario. This perspective reduces fear of failure, which is often what undermines confidence. 🔥Manage your physiology. Breathe. Slow, deep breaths can lower your heart rate and calm your mind. It's simple, but it works. Use power poses if you must, stand in a way that signals to your brain that you're in charge. 🔥Visualize success. Sports psychologists swear by this. Imagine yourself succeeding in your high-pressure situation. See it, feel it, believe it. Confidence comes from seeing success before it happens. And remember, assertiveness isn't about being the loudest in the room; it's about being the clearest. Know what you want to achieve, articulate your points with clarity, and don’t waver. That’s real power. Now, go out there and own it.