Teach & Serve V, No. 27
The Difficult Conversation
February 5, 2020
Good leaders know this. They know that engaging in difficult conversations is part of the work of being a leader. They know that putting these conversations off only creates more issues.
Frequently a teacher or administrator is faced with the potential of having difficult conversations. Be these with a parent who is concerned about classroom policies, a teacher who is not meeting standards in the classroom or a colleague who has a conflict, administrators and teachers are often faced with the prospect of engaging in conversations they would, likely, rather not.
Though I have heard some people say they enjoy conflict and are not averse to it, do people really relish difficult conversations? Those people who thrive on conflict have rarely been people with whom I want to spend much time. Conflict is draining and adversarial. It cannot truly be avoided by those in leadership positions, but I am ever leery of those who seek it out.
That being written, the reality is difficult conversations should not be avoided. When they are, the issues generating the conversations persist. They do not typically heal themselves. Good leaders know this. They know that engaging in difficult conversations is part of the work of being a leader. They know that putting these conversations off only creates more issues.
The difficult conversation is the hardest one to have. It is also the most important.