by nicklejadev | Aug 20, 2025 | Uncategorized
Sometimes, the smallest shifts in language can have the biggest impact—especially in difficult conversations. One of my favorites is starting a sentence with just two words: “What if…” It’s simple, but surprisingly powerful. When conversations get tense, people often...
by nicklejadev | Jul 29, 2025 | Uncategorized
When someone holds a hard line in a conversation (“I need this done by Friday,” “We can’t change the plan,” “That’s just how it has to be”), it’s easy to respond with our own positions. But that usually gets us stuck. If we want to navigate difficult conversations...
by nicklejadev | Jul 28, 2025 | Uncategorized
Many difficult conversations start with an unspoken assumption: it’s you vs. me. One person wants something. The other resists. And suddenly, you’re locked in a quiet battle of wills—both sides trying to win, rather than trying to solve the problem. One of the most...
by nicklejadev | Jul 22, 2025 | Uncategorized
Focusing on interests vs positions is a better way to handle difficult conversations. This might be one of the most important concepts I’ve ever learned about difficult conversations. I first came across it in Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury, a...
by nicklejadev | Jul 15, 2025 | Uncategorized
In difficult conversations, sharing perspectives can dramatically lower defensiveness. Things often go sideways when one person presents their perspective as the truth. Since there can only be one truth, it creates a dynamic where disagreement is a contradiction—one...
by nicklejadev | Jul 8, 2025 | Uncategorized
The first few sentences of a conversation set the tone for everything that follows. If a conversation starts with hostility, it can be difficult to turn it around. I’m sure you’ve been in situations where something rubbed you the wrong way early on, and even after...
