DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS: SPEAKING TRUTH WITH GRACE Season 2, Episode 15

EPISODE 15: Difficult Conversations: Speaking Truth with Grace
Frameworks for navigating challenging conversations with integrity. Preparing emotionally and strategically for truth-telling. Balancing directness with compassion. Managing your own triggers while staying centered in difficult dialogues.

JOURNAL PROMPTS - EPISODE 15

DAY 1

Principle for Reflection: Difficult conversations are not obstacles to healthy relationships—they're requirements for them. Every avoided difficult conversation is a small betrayal of authenticity that erodes trust over time.

Reflection Questions:

1. What stands out to me about this reflection?
2. How will I use this reflection today?

End of Day Reminiscence: What difficult conversation did I avoid today, and what was the cost of that avoidance? How might addressing it serve the relationship?

DAY 2

Principle for Reflection: Speaking truth with grace means approaching people and situations with respect for everyone's humanity while maintaining clarity about what needs to be addressed—being powerful and compassionate simultaneously.

Reflection Questions:

1. What stands out to me about this reflection?
2. How will I use this reflection today?

End of Day Reminiscence: Where did I successfully combine directness with compassion today? How did this approach affect the outcome and the relationship?

DAY 3

Principle for Reflection: Effective difficult conversations require both strategic preparation (clarity, timing, structure) and emotional preparation (grounding, processing triggers, releasing attachment to outcomes).

Reflection Questions:

1. What stands out to me about this reflection?
2. How will I use this reflection today?

End of Day Reminiscence: How did preparing emotionally and strategically today improve my ability to navigate challenging communications?

DAY 4

Principle for Reflection: When you feel triggered during difficult conversations, you can pause, acknowledge emotions without taking responsibility for them, redirect to facts, and maintain boundaries while staying compassionate.

Reflection Questions:

1. What stands out to me about this reflection?
2. How will I use this reflection today?

End of Day Reminiscence: What triggers did I navigate today in challenging conversations? How did staying centered serve both me and the other person?

DAY 5

Principle for Reflection: Leaders who develop skill in difficult conversations actually have fewer truly difficult conversations over time because addressing issues early and directly prevents small problems from becoming major conflicts.

Reflection Questions:

1. What stands out to me about this reflection?
2. How will I use this reflection today?

End of Day Reminiscence: How did my willingness to address issues directly today prevent larger problems? What did I learn about early intervention?