Even if you work in a great organisation, at some stage you are likely to face a challenging situation that is stressful and makes you feel uncomfortable. It could be an underperforming team member, unethical behaviour by a supplier, or a disagreement with a colleague on a new policy. How you manage these situations reflects on your professionalism. A difficult situation handled well can often result in a positive outcome and the person driving the outcome is seen as being a capable leader.
One of the most common issues discussed with mentors is workplace problems and having difficult conversations to resolve them. A mentor can be a really useful independent sounding board at these times for you to test your response.
This month take some time to read about the SBI (Situation, Behaviour, Impact) Model developed by the Centre for Creative Leadership. It has 3 steps that you can follow to take the emotion out and enable you to have a tough conversation more easily. Preparing for these conversations carefully, including writing a script with clear facts and information, keeping your own emotions in check, listening, and being open to options are all important aspects.