Mastering Difficult Conversations

Explore the intricacies of handling challenging workplace conversations in this 58-minute lecture by Associate Professor Adam Barsky from the University of Melbourne. Delve into the fundamental elements of difficult conversations: facts, emotions, and identities. Examine various cognitive biases affecting factual perceptions, including attribution, ease of recall, confirmation, and meta-perception biases. Learn practical strategies to address these biases and improve communication. Investigate the role of emotions in conversations and discover techniques for managing them effectively. Analyze how personal and professional identities influence interactions and learn methods to navigate identity-related challenges. Gain valuable insights on preparing for difficult conversations through targeted questions. Conclude with a Q&A session to reinforce understanding and address specific concerns.

Intro.
Fundamental elements of a difficult conversation: Facts, Emotions and Identities.
Facts - Attribution biases.
Facts - Ease of recall biases.
Facts - Confirmation biases.
Facts - Bias in meta-perception.
Facts - What can you do?.
Feelings - The problem with feelings.
Feelings - What can you do?.
Identities - What is at stake?.
Identities - What can you do?.
Preparation questions.
Questions.