People are always surprised when I dive right into an awkward conversation with little or no fear. The truth is, nobody (myself included) likes awkward conversations. But I would much rather talk about the elephant in the room when there’s still hope of getting him through the door instead of waiting until he grows so big that he punches the roof off the house.

Here are a few things that I’ve found helpful when approaching a tough subject with someone:

Respect.
Regardless of how awkward or perhaps hurt you feel, a little respect for others can go a long way. You blow your top and nobody wins. Be mad at the situation, yes, but not the person. This takes humility, but everyone wins when people are humble.

Clarity.
Being clear about how you feel and defining the desired outcome will help you keep some of the emotion out of it. Being passionate is fine, but if your emotions get the best of you, that’s when the false accusations start to fly. If the situation warrants, you may also want to put together a list of things to cover or solve in order to keep the conversation on target. In some situations, this list can be emailed in advance to prepare everyone for some elephant herding.

Courage with the end in mind.
It takes courage, but approach the situation with the end in mind. How much energy and time is wasted avoiding awkward conversations? The truth is that some things just won’t go away on their own. You can wish all you want, but at some point that conversation needs to happen. The sooner you dive in, the sooner it will be over, no matter the outcome.

What is that thing you’ve been avoiding? That conversation that just needs to be had? It’s time. The elephant is getting bigger while you read this. Take steps to deal with it this week.

[photo credit]