Managing Difficult Conversation

Abstract

Conversation is the bedrock of human life. Without conversation, no meaningful social activity can take place. While most communication through this mode is pleasant, some conversations may turn out to be difficult. Such conversations can be characterized by any of the following: discomfort or distress prior to the interview, during the talk, or after completing the meeting. The “difficulty” of a conversation may be due to the topic of the discussion, the personal characteristics of the conversant, or perhaps the external environment. It is not necessary for every “optimal” conversation to end in agreement, neither is every interview marked by disagreement considered “difficult.” These features are universal. They apply to conversations in health care and diabetes care, just as they do in other professional and personal domains.