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While your attention is focused on the new year (reflecting on and reaffirming positive experiences of 2010, remembering to write ’11 on your checks so they don’t bounce, etc.), right now is the best time to express your willingness to come together with others, to heal wounded relationships, and perhaps to have some of those challenging conversations you have avoided all year. No need to destroy the mood of the season, though – you can set the intention and even make an appointment to set aside some quality “face time” next month.

5 Conversation Skills and Tips for how to navigate difficult conversations:

1. Allow yourself to believe that others in the conversation desire a closer, warmer, more creative, productive, and loving relationship.
2. Listen to understand, not to prepare rebuttals. The majority of relationship difficulties result from inadequate understanding.
3. Assumptions are the termites of relationships. Remember, when you ASSUME, you make an ASS out of U and Me.
4. Listen together for patterns, insights, common values, and deeper questions.
5. Always be on the lookout for wholeness, connection, and shared interests, what do you have in common?

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Want more Conversation Skills/Tips? On what topics? Let me know in the comments section below!

More about Conversations:

Conversations that Matter – a conversation with Juanita Brown PhD

New Paradigm Leader – The Power of Good Conversation