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Hard Conversations Unpacked: The Whos, the Whens, and the What-Ifs
Learn to speak up for what really matters Tough talks are never easy, but in her best-selling book, Having Hard Conversations, Jennifer Abrams showed educators how to speak intentionally with colleagues about work-related issues through a planned, interactive, and personal approach. In this sequel, she moves readers deeper into the nuances of how to prepare for those conversations while building expectations for positive and meaningful outcomes. Putting clarity before accountability, or by being clear about what should be understood before going in, can and will increase the favorable results of those tough talks. With an emphasis on what needs to happen before, during, and after hard conversations, this resource explores
What humane, growth-producing, and "other-centered" conversations sound like How race, culture, gender, and generational filters influence perceptions and how to account for them How to spot and work with organizational dynamics that could influence discussions How to conduct hard conversations with supervisors Plan for positive outcomes from hard conversations. Let this resource empower you to expect and professionally navigate environmental influences, unexpected pushback, and uncomfortable silences toward real understanding and progress.
"Abrams, who cites a broad and current body of literature, provides a valuable rationale for why certain ways of talking are more effective than others." Robert J. Garmston - Professor Emeritus & Co-Developer of COgnitive Coaching & Adaptive Schools California State University, Sacramento "In order to grow as learners, educators and leaders, we need to be provided with feedback that will enhance our growth. That feedback doesn′t come easily. We shy away from providing honest feedback because we′re afraid it will be "taken the wrong way." That is why I love Having Hard Conversations 2.0. Jennifer Abrams brings us through the process beautifully with a great deal of honesty, and we can learn a great deal from her insight. This is an important read for anyone in education." Peter De Witt - Former School Principal Finding Common Ground Blog, Corwin
What humane, growth-producing, and "other-centered" conversations sound like How race, culture, gender, and generational filters influence perceptions and how to account for them How to spot and work with organizational dynamics that could influence discussions How to conduct hard conversations with supervisors Plan for positive outcomes from hard conversations. Let this resource empower you to expect and professionally navigate environmental influences, unexpected pushback, and uncomfortable silences toward real understanding and progress.
"Abrams, who cites a broad and current body of literature, provides a valuable rationale for why certain ways of talking are more effective than others." Robert J. Garmston - Professor Emeritus & Co-Developer of COgnitive Coaching & Adaptive Schools California State University, Sacramento "In order to grow as learners, educators and leaders, we need to be provided with feedback that will enhance our growth. That feedback doesn′t come easily. We shy away from providing honest feedback because we′re afraid it will be "taken the wrong way." That is why I love Having Hard Conversations 2.0. Jennifer Abrams brings us through the process beautifully with a great deal of honesty, and we can learn a great deal from her insight. This is an important read for anyone in education." Peter De Witt - Former School Principal Finding Common Ground Blog, Corwin
- GenresNonfiction
109 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 23, 2015
15 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 7, 2019
I wanted to like this more than I did; I really wanted this to be helpful to offer practical advice and suggestions, but I finished the book thinking, "yep, you've given me some things I can use, but I feel like I need more and I struggled to see the forest for the trees sometimes." Maybe it felt disjointed to me because of the format?
The book is only 77 pages long, and the author provides a plethora of stats, facts, research, data, and resources from which she gleaned the information. With bibliographic information for so many books and articles, you could take a few months to read them all!
Nevertheless, the book is helpful in providing strategies for professional dialogue. We all know that we grow from feedback, but we don't necessarily know how to respond to feedback and become defensive when we receive feedback we don't want to hear. This book offers "scripts" for difficult conversations along with scenarios to practice. . I like that the focus is solely on education. I think that too many books try to lump schools and the work force together when it comes to offering sage advice on complex topics.
The book is only 77 pages long, and the author provides a plethora of stats, facts, research, data, and resources from which she gleaned the information. With bibliographic information for so many books and articles, you could take a few months to read them all!
Nevertheless, the book is helpful in providing strategies for professional dialogue. We all know that we grow from feedback, but we don't necessarily know how to respond to feedback and become defensive when we receive feedback we don't want to hear. This book offers "scripts" for difficult conversations along with scenarios to practice. . I like that the focus is solely on education. I think that too many books try to lump schools and the work force together when it comes to offering sage advice on complex topics.
December 31, 2019
Have you ever sat in a meeting with an amazing facilitator - one who was able to handle tough talks with ease and grace? Jennifer Abrams's Hard Conversations Unpacked: The Whos, the Whens, and the What-Ifs helps teachers and leaders to participate in human-centered dialogues in the work place. The book offers strategies to guide difficult conversations, ways to listen more effectively for feedback, and solutions to dealing conflict in an educational setting. I look forward to reading more of Abrams' books.
March 7, 2023
Very practical advice for how you approach these conversations like a grown up!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews