Handling Difficult Conversations With Clients

Navigating difficult conversations…we know the terrain well in supply chain and sustainability —complex stakeholder relationships, competing priorities, and tough tradeoffs that demand honest dialogue. The first quarter of 2025 has been challenging for some clients and colleagues. Behind every successful initiative lies countless challenging conversations.I wanted to share this list that captures what I've learned (often the hard way) about handling challenging discussions: 1. Lead with empathy - acknowledge feelings before diving into issues 2. Stay calm - pause and breathe when tensions rise. Cooler heads prevail. 3. Prepare but remain flexible - rigid scripts rarely survive contact with reality 4. Ask genuine questions - "help me understand your perspective" 5. Give authentic appreciation - recognize effort before suggesting changes 6. Own your emotions - acknowledge feelings without manipulation 7. Respect others' viewpoints - validation doesn't require agreement. You can disagree and still find a happy path. 8. Be specific - vague criticisms like "you always" rarely help 9. Collaborate on solutions - problem-dumping without brainstorming fixes nothing 10. Set clear boundaries - know what you can and cannot commit to 11. Listen actively - not just waiting for your turn to speak. Read this again… 12. Apologize sincerely when needed - take responsibility, not half-measures. Accountability helps build trust. 13. End with concrete next steps - clarity prevents misunderstandings. Playing back throughout tough conversations with key points and actions shows active listening and understanding. 14. Reflect afterward - what worked? what could improve? In my experience leading global teams, the conversations I've handled poorly weren't failures of strategy—they were failures of approach and understanding context. For example, a recent negotiation with a supplier facing severe capacity constraints could have deteriorated into finger-pointing. Instead, by focusing on understanding their challenges first (point #4) and collaborating on creative solutions (point #9), we found a path forward and workable compromise. Staying calm helped too ;) What's your experience? Which of these principles has been most valuable in your leadership journey? Or is there a 15th point you'd add to this list? ___________ 👍🏽 Like this? ♻️ Repost to help someone ✅ Follow me Sheri R. Hinish 🔔 Click my name → Hit the bell → See my posts. #SupplyChain #leadership #sustainability

Have you ever felt your heart race while facing the challenge of delivering bad news to a customer in a live chat? If so, you are in good company. This is one of the most daunting aspects of customer support and can often lead to heightened emotions and escalated situations. But what if I told you there’s a proven, structured approach that can empower you to handle these tricky exchanges with confidence? I’ve created a four-step framework called CARE, specifically designed to help you convey bad news effectively: **C - Clearly Explain the Issue**   **A - Acknowledge the Impact**   **R - Respectfully Listen**   **E - Explain the Next Steps** This method isn’t just about softening the blow; it’s about upholding professionalism, demonstrating empathy, and steering the conversation toward a constructive conclusion. When it comes to explaining the issue, be concise and assertive. Cut out any fluff or unnecessary apologies. Speak with clarity and purpose, while ensuring your tone remains respectful. By acknowledging the impact of the news, you show genuine empathy, which greatly enhances the likelihood of the customer accepting your message. A simple phrase like, “I understand this isn’t the outcome you were hoping for,” can make a world of difference. Engaging in respectful listening—yes, even in written form—builds trust and alleviates frustration. It’s about grasping the intent behind the customer's words and recognizing their concerns. Finally, by explaining the next steps, you guide the conversation toward resolution. Provide alternatives, share useful links, or offer tips that can still add value for the customer. Countless teams have transformed their customer interactions by adopting this approach. One of my clients reported a significant reduction in escalated chats and a remarkable improvement in customer satisfaction scores. Imagine navigating even the toughest conversations with composure, equipped with a reliable technique that leads you forward. It’s not merely about delivering bad news; it’s about doing so in a way that respects both the customer’s feelings and your company’s standards. Delivering bad news is undeniably one of the toughest challenges in live chat. Are you ready to discover more powerful techniques like this to elevate your live chat support skills?

Want to stop triggering defensive reactions in critical conversations? Brain science reveals a simple technique that's transforming how top companies communicate: As an executive coach, this is the first thing I teach founders who are struggling with critical relationships. Why? Because it's consistently the most powerful tool for transforming toxic communication into productive dialogue. When you're fighting with your co-founder, your brain's threat response system activates. This shuts down the exact parts of your brain needed for effective communication. But there's a way to keep those neural pathways open. It's called speaking inarguably - using only facts that can't be disputed. Instead of "You don't care about this company" (judgment) Say "When you missed our last three meetings, I felt worried about our partnership" (fact) The first triggers defense mechanisms. The second creates psychological safety. There are two types of inarguable statements: • External facts: Observable behaviors, metrics, documented events • Internal facts: Your sensations, emotions, thoughts ("I feel frustrated") I've seen this technique help to transform toxic co-founder relationships into thriving partnerships more times than I can count. Here's how to start: 1. Pause before responding to emotionally charged situations 2. Strip away interpretations, focus only on observable facts ("You arrived 15 minutes late" vs "You're disrespectful") 3. Own your internal experience ("I felt anxious when that happened" vs "You're stressing everyone out") 4. Practice radical honesty about your feelings (This builds trust faster than pretending to be perfect) The hardest part? Letting go of being right. Your interpretations might feel true, but they're just stories you're telling yourself. This is where inner work meets leadership. When you master this, difficult conversations become growth opportunities. Your leadership emerges naturally from who you are, not who you think you should be.

These 4 words can make anyone anxious: "We need to talk." The problem isn't having hard conversations: It's how most people approach them. I used to wing these conversations and wonder why they went sideways. Then I studied how the top 1% of leaders handle conflict. The difference? They have a system. Most leaders wing difficult conversations and create more problems. Smart leaders use proven frameworks that build trust while addressing issues. Here's the approach that transformed my leadership: ✅ Phase 1 - Foundation Setting: "Thanks for your patience. I've thought things through so we can have a productive conversation." This immediately signals you're not reactive: You are thoughtful and solution-focused. ✅ Phase 2 - Trust Building: "I trust you and that's why I'm being straight with you." You lead with respect, making it clear this isn't about their worth as a person. ✅ Phase 3 - Context Setting: "I want to be transparent. This impacts our success." Connect the conversation to shared goals, not personal frustrations. ✅ Phase 4 - Reality Acknowledgment: "This might be hard, but I want us to work through it together." You acknowledge difficulty while committing to partnership. ✅ Phase 5 - Problem Focus: "Something's affecting your results. Let's handle it together." Action-oriented language that invites collaboration. ✅ Phase 6 - Preparation Time: "Let's meet tomorrow to review data. Bring your take." Respectful timing that allows for thoughtful responses. ✅ Phase 7 - Solution Mode: "We've been falling behind. How can we fix this together?" Partnership language focused on forward movement. The result? Conversations that could have ended relationships actually strengthened them. Hard conversations need not take a negative turn. They are investments in better outcomes. What conversation framework will you try first? ♻️ Repost this to help leaders navigate difficult conversations strategically. 🔔 Follow Dr. Oliver Degnan for more strategies on Burnout, Productivity and Leadership.

One of the toughest tests of your leadership isn't how you handle success. It's how you navigate disagreement. I noticed this in the SEAL Teams and in my work with executives: Those who master difficult conversations outperform their peers not just in team satisfaction, but in decision quality and innovation. The problem? Most of us enter difficult conversations with our nervous system already in a threat state. Our brain literally can't access its best thinking when flooded with stress hormones. Through years of working with high-performing teams, I've developed what I call The Mindful Disagreement Framework. Here's how it works: 1. Pause Before Engaging (10 seconds) When triggered by disagreement, take a deliberate breath. This small reset activates your prefrontal cortex instead of your reactive limbic system. Your brain physically needs this transition to think clearly. 2. Set Psychological Safety (30 seconds) Start with: "I appreciate your perspective and want to understand it better. I also have some different thoughts to share." This simple opener signals respect while creating space for different viewpoints. 3. Lead with Curiosity, Not Certainty (2 minutes) Ask at least three questions before stating your position. This practice significantly increases the quality of solutions because it broadens your understanding before narrowing toward decisions. 4. Name the Shared Purpose (1 minute) "We both want [shared goal]. We're just seeing different paths to get there." This reminds everyone you're on the same team, even with different perspectives. 5. Separate Impact from Intent (30 seconds) "When X happened, I felt Y, because Z. I know that wasn't your intention." This formula transforms accusations into observations. Last month, I used this exact framework in a disagreement. The conversation that could have damaged our relationship instead strengthened it. Not because we ended up agreeing, but because we disagreed respectfully. (It may or may not have been with my kid!) The most valuable disagreements often feel uncomfortable. The goal isn't comfort. It's growth. What difficult conversation are you avoiding right now? Try this framework tomorrow and watch what happens to your leadership influence. ___ Follow me, Jon Macaskill for more leadership focused content. And feel free to repost if someone in your life needs to hear this. 📩 Subscribe to my newsletter here → https://lnkd.in/g9ZFxDJG You'll get FREE access to my 21-Day Mindfulness & Meditation Course packed with real, actionable strategies to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

When things aren’t going perfectly with clients, we’re not only brutally honest, but we’re the first to bring it up. But it took years for my co-founder and I to build up the courage. I used to be a pleaser. Terrified of having difficult conversations with clients. Worried about hurting feelings. Maybe that’s because it’s how most agencies operate—vague promises, smoke and mirrors, kicking the can down the road. Never ‘it’s our fault.’ Always ‘we're just waiting for the algorithm changes to settle’ or ‘we just need to adjust the target audience slightly’. But that approach tends to backfire. What starts out as discomfort (because everyone knows things aren’t quite going well) becomes an acid that eats through and eventually destroys the relationship. The truth is that clients aren't stupid. They wouldn’t be where they are if they were. They know when they’re being fed BS. And they deserve the truth. For example, last year, we had a client whose campaigns weren't hitting their targets. Instead of dancing around it, we told them: 'We can hit this conversion target, but only by turning on low-quality traffic that won't actually help your business long-term. Let's either set a realistic target or plan a clean transition.’ Was it uncomfortable? Absolutely.  But it led to a series of honest conversations. It also led to the kind of newfound mutual respect only unvarnished candor creates. Thoughts? Discuss.

Don’t avoid the hard conversation. Use these 8 steps instead: Like many people, I used to avoid hard conversations until it was too late. When the stakes and emotions are high, and opinions differ, silence breaks trust. Tension builds. Trust erodes. Opportunities are lost. I learned this time and again. What if you could handle these moments with clarity and kindness? Use these 8 steps to navigate difficult conversations: 1. Ask to Understand: - Help me understand your perspective. - Can you walk me through your thinking? 2. State Only the Facts: - Here’s what I’ve observed [..]. - What’s your take on this situation? 3. Focus on Shared Goals - We both want [shared goal]. Let’s figure this out together. - How can we ensure the best outcome for everyone? 4. Stay Calm Under Pressure - I can see this is important to you. Let’s talk it through. - I’m committed to finding a solution with you. 5. Acknowledge Their Perspective - I hear what you’re saying. - It sounds like [paraphrase their perspective]. Is that right? 6. Address Misunderstandings - Can we clarify what you meant by [..]? - What do you think I might not be seeing? 7. Find a Path Forward - What’s the best way for us to move forward? - Here’s what I propose. What are your thoughts? 8. Recap & Align - We've agreed on [..]. Anything else to consider? - Let's check back in [specific timeframe]. Difficult conversations aren’t the problem. It’s how we show up for them that makes the difference. With the right approach, you can turn high-stakes moments into shared understanding. ➕ Follow me, Melody Olson, for Leadership, Tech & Career Insights. ♻️ Repost to help your network navigate difficult conversations with trust.