As a project leader, you inevitably find yourself in situations where you have to have difficult or uncomfortable conversations.
Conversations become difficult when you want two opposing things at the same time.
If you didn’t want the person to like you as you told them they didn’t get the job, it wouldn’t be a difficult conversation. If you didn’t care about asking for unexpected overtime to meet a deadline, it wouldn’t be a difficult #conversation.
Tough conversations become more manageable if you first get the recipient to buy into an outcome bigger than themselves.
After all, it’s easier to understand why sacrifices are necessary when you’re enrolled in a journey and understand what’s at stake. It’s not personal. It’s just required.