2. Have your spiel down pat, and no more than 45 seconds. Write down and prepare your 30-45 second narrative (or as I like to call it, your “spiel.”) Do not leave this part of the conversation ...

You may have a more direct personality, or perhaps you prefer to ease into serious conversations like these. Whatever you decide, consider the other person's communication style as well as your own.

If you dread discord, it can be natural to avoid or delay a difficult conversation. But this can hurt your relationships, and have other negative outcomes. You can learn to dive into these tough ...