What Is a Courageous Conversation?

One of the best ways to build trust, strengthen your team, and work through conflict is to have consistent, meaningful, and authentic conversations with your team. I’m Dr. Elisa Glick and I help leaders build trust in the workplace, one courageous conversation at a time.

Welcome to my Courageous Conversation series!

This month I’ll be posting tools and strategies for courageous conversations. I’ll share practical suggestions for how to prepare for and navigate tough talks with courage, curiosity, and compassion.

To kick off the series, let's address a question that I’m often asked, which is “what is a courageous conversation?” While there are different kinds of courageous conversations, they typically have these qualities in common:

✴️ High stakes. The outcome will impact you significantly.
✴️ Difficult subject. Courageous conversations are honest dialogues that intentionally give voice to issues of power, privilege, identity, and difference.
✴️ Differing opinions or perspectives. Courageous conversations require us to look with new lenses and create space for diverse perspectives to be heard and valued.
✴️ Strong emotions.  We may feel afraid, angry, vulnerable, or hurt going into a courageous conversation. This is why the conversation that we are most afraid of having is often the conversation we most need to have.
✴️ Learning orientation. Courageous conversations require an open mind, listening actively, and leaning into discomfort.
✴️ Forward-looking. Courageous conversations look ahead, not back.

Did you know...?

🤔 Courageous conversations aren’t just the difficult talks we may be postponing; they utilize inclusive communication tools that increase safety and trust.
🤔 By breaking down oppositional mindsets, courageous conversations expand our thinking, spark shared understanding, and create positive culture change.

Join me for my Courageous Conversation series this month, and please let me know what topics you'd like to address.

Can I help you bring a courageous conversation to your team? Message me and let’s make change together!

[Image description: "What is a Courageous Conversation?" infographic from Elisa Glick Consulting. A wheel on a purple background depicts 6 different elements of courageous conversations: High stakes. Difficult subject. Differing opinions or perspectives. Strong emotions. Learning orientation. Forward-looking.]