I had a difficult conversation with someone recently. I knew this conversation was an important one and as a strong introvert, I did all of the preparation to ensure I was as comfortable as I could be. I analyzed the situation from both perspectives, I looked at the merits of having orTree Toad Consulting not having the conversation, I looked at a variety of approaches to opening the dialogue, I got some coaching for the situation and I examined the heightened emotions I was having. I also prepared myself to be ok if the conversation did not go well - in this case, my biggest worry was that my voice would not be heard.

The good news is that all my preparation allowed me to initiate the conversation and stay grounded in the key messages I wanted to share. The bad news is that the response and the information that was shared with me was not anything that I had anticipated nor prepared for and it landed on me very badly. Thankfully my preparation helped me to maintain my professionalism and exit the situation gracefully. But now what?

Now I will take this new information and do what I do best – I will analyze it, synthesize it with other data, reflect inwardly and decide what actions (if any) are required going forward.  Although I did not like the information shared with me, nor the manner in which it was conveyed it is still valuable to me.