HOW TO PREPARE FOR A TOUGH MEETING

You know that feeling of wanting to speak up at work but are holding back? If you’re a people pleaser I know this resonates with you. It takes a lot of work to speak up because it’s scary to face your boss. You don’t want to come across as making excuses or that you don’t own up to your work.

One of the most common problems we solve in coaching sessions is COMMUNICATION skills and strategies.

The only way to make a difference is to find opportunities to SPEAK UP in a thoughtful, skillful way.

When should you speak up? Trust your intuition. If you feel you’re not set up for success, you need to speak up. If you need to get new resources allocated to your team so you can succeed and not have to do two or three people’s jobs, you need to speak up.

How should you do it? That’s where the magic begins. It starts with reflection and preparation.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you prepare for the conversation you know you ought to have with your boss:

1) What is your INTENTION? You might want to just be heard, or help your boss understand what’s happening behind the scenes.

2) What’s your GOAL for the meeting? What are you actually hoping to achieve? What do you want to change going forward? Perhaps you need additional resources. Or you might simply want to feel supported by your boss so you don’t feel alone in an energy-draining project.

3) What’s the OPPORTUNITY uncovered by the situation? Speak up about what you see this opportunity for - perhaps to prevent future issues because of what you’re experiencing right now; or to help others in the team who experience the same stress you do; or an opportunity to make a case for staffing needs. Be creative, and be honest.

Take the time to PREPARE for your meeting.

Remember your goal underneath the goal. Ultimately this is about **upping your leadership skills**, not to win a battle with your boss.