Making Difficult Conversations Easier Mostafa Ewees (PhD) Stanford University at California Assistant Professor at German University in Cairo (GUC) EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT An Info people Workshop 2008 Presented by:

This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

“ Success Covers a Multitude of Blunders.” – George Bernard Shaw

Please remember, we’re only human. It is impossible not to make mistakes that may offend others. And, if we are very diligent, we can always manage to be offended.

Exercise #1: Your Most Difficult Three?

Your Most Difficult Three... Do You See a Theme?

Exercise #2: Aaaggghhh!!! I’m Not. But, if I were, where would I be difficult to talk to? I Don’t. But if I did, where do I get a secondary gain from being difficult?

Part II - The Basics: Better Interpersonal Skills Make for Easier Conversations

Exercise #3: First, Let’s Have an Easy Conversation

Exercise #4: Now, Let’s Have an Easy Meaningful Conversation: an Exercise of Interpretation, Insight, and Analysis

Part III Turning Conflict into Cooperation

Everyone hits the target they aim at, dead center – every time. Unfortunately, a lot of us are aiming too low – or else we're simply shooting at the wrong target.

In a sense we can learn everything we need to know about resolving a problem from a sign we see at any mall in the country...

X You are here

Exercise #6 Master the Zen of “No”

Separate the People From the Problem

Part IV Face to Face Walking the Walk & Talking the Talk

Making a Difficult Conversation Successful Is the Sum of All Its Parts. Even When Done Correctly It Is Still Difficult.

Discussion, Questions, Observations...

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