Too many managers approach a conversation in which they must challenge difficult behaviour with a lot of trepidation. Why? Are you afraid of angry reactions on the part of the employee? Do you know what you want to say, but once the employee is in front of you, you get tongue-tied? Do you beat around the bush and try to soften the blow to avoid an adverse reaction? Let's run down the list and discuss why none of these are good reasons for avoiding what you know you have to do.

Sometimes conversations suck, but you need to have them, and this podcast lays out how.