You can spend years building credibility at work and still feel unprepared for the moment you need to say something uncomfortable. That one difficult conversation you wish you could avoid often turns ...

For leaders, keeping your workforce engaged and happy in 2025 is more than just the pay packet, working conditions, and benefits. The social contract between employers and employees has changed ...

Most of us don’t wake up eager for a difficult conversation. By their very nature, these conversations can feel uncomfortable, challenging, and awkward. You’ve likely faced one you dreaded, put off, ...

Uncomfortable conversations are inevitable in both personal and professional life, yet they are often avoided. However, learning how to handle these challenging discussions can lead to significant ...

Workplaces in the United States are remarkably conflict averse. Many people don’t even like to give criticisms to someone else directly, let alone to hash out a disagreement over a path forward or ...

Difficult conversations — whether you’re telling a client the project is delayed or presiding over an unenthusiastic performance review — are an inevitable part of management. How should you prepare ...

When the world of work turned upside down in 2020, we quickly adapted to Zoom calls, Slack threads and digital whiteboards. At first, this newfound flexibility felt liberating. But as we settle into a ...

I have been working in campus law enforcement for over 40 years; 35 of them as a supervisor or director. When it comes to addressing personnel issues, I have a lot of experience. Managing people is, ...

This Q&A is part of Observer’s Expert Insights series, where industry leaders, innovators and strategists distill years of experience into direct, practical takeaways and deliver clarity on the issues ...