What Comes After a Courageous Conversation?
When it comes to courageous conversations, one of the most common mistakes we make is not thinking through what happens after them.
I’m Dr. Elisa Glick and I help leaders build trust in the workplace, one courageous conversation at a time. Every Monday in July I’ve been sharing tools and practical suggestions for how to prepare for and navigate tough talks with courage, curiosity, and compassion.
In this series we learned:
🧠 What is a courageous conversation?
🗣 What's the difference between dialogue and debate?
🍽 How to "set the table" for a courageous conversation.
💪 How to have a courageous conversation with confidence.
To wrap up the series, let's address a question that isn't discussed as often as it should be: “What Comes After a Courageous Conversation?” Here are my recommended 5 steps:
1️⃣ THANKS. Express genuine gratitude to the other person for speaking with you. (This doesn't need to happen in the moment) Be specific about what you appreciated. For example, you might thank them for their honesty or the feedback they shared.
2️⃣ INPUT. Invite your team member to share their thoughts not just during the conversation but after it. Do they have any concerns that weren't addressed? Demonstrating care and connection in this step is crucial to coming together so that you can collaborate on solutions.
3️⃣ REPAIR. So much of conflict comes from assumptions, biases, and misunderstandings. When you accept responsibility for your actions and repair harm, you begin to restore positive relationships and mend team dynamics.
4️⃣ DOCUMENT. Summarize the main messages you said, the main messages you heard your team member say, what you agreed on, confirm specific next steps, and set a timeline and feedback mechanism.
5️⃣ CHECK-IN with the other person regularly, provide support, and acknowledge progress.
How can I help you bring more courage to your leadership or team? Message me and let’s work together to build cultures of belonging!
Image credit: Elisa Glick Consulting
