How to Have Courageous Conversations With Your Team

Abstract

There will be times in healthcare leadership when you will need to have courageous conversations with your team. These are the conversation that often are dreaded but necessary and usually have an element of risk to them. This article defines courageous conversations and explores when it is prudent to have them, and when it is not. It delves into the fears that commonly prevent healthcare leaders from having needed courageous conversations and suggests five strategies they can use to find the courage they need to speak up when necessary. It provides 10 practical ground rules for courageous conversations that can be used in staff training. These ground rules will help the healthcare team keep their emotions in check and respond professionally, even when their emotions are stirred. This article then offers 10 additional do’s and don’ts for courageous conversations, including a three-step framework for organizing the conversation so participants can manage their expectations. Finally, this article suggests six strategies healthcare leaders can use when a member of their team, a colleague, or another person initiates a courageous conversation with them.