How to tackle tough conversations and decisions with confidence

LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — When you’re on the job, dealing with hard decisions or tough conversations is inevitable. But there are strategies to make it easier.

Cornerstone of Hope counselor Joe Earl spoke to the West Central Ohio Safety Council about facing difficult situations. He discussed what happens in our brains when confronted with challenging tasks, discussions and more, as well as the skills that can make those moments more manageable.

No matter the challenge, Earl says the process begins with self-awareness.

“I always tell individuals, even whether I'm counseling or when I'm speaking, a lot of times, it starts with yourself, so you've got to get a good baseline of how you're feeling going into the hard situation, and then it's also important to be aware of the other individual involved, like, if it's a tough conversation, they may be having similar feelings. So, it's just processing that all together, seeing how that works, and maybe where there's conflict, and then just addressing it,” said Earl, a licensed professional counselor at Cornerstone of Hope.

Like many skills in life, he says, handling difficult situations becomes easier with practice.

“So, I would say, yeah, the more you do them, the easier it's going to get. An analogy I use a lot in my counseling practice is shooting a free throw. The way you get better is that you practice. So, it's going to be the same thing with doing hard things. You need to be honest with yourself as you approach it and acknowledge that it is hard, but also when you do well, reward yourself with that, but also when you don't do well, be able to have that growth mindset where you can look back on it and go, Okay, so where can I improve? And what does that look like?” Earl added.

Earl says people can adjust their mindset, and how they approach hard situations can create neurological changes that help them improve over time.