A difficult conversation is anything that is hard for someone to talk about. It can range from asking your boss for a raise to providing negative feedback to a subordinate to complaining to your neighbour about his dog barking. These conversations are particularly tricky because there is often a gap between what people are really thinking and what they say. In a wide ranging interview, two experts on the topic show that every difficult conversation is really about three things (what actually happened, our identity and our feelings). They provide tips for turning difficult conversations into learning conversations that benefit all parties.

In the realm of feedback, the receiver - not the giver - is the key player in the exchange. The authors describe three triggers that lead us to dismiss feedback, and how to counteract them to improve your relationships and take charge of your life-long learning. In the end, they say, receiving feedback well is a skill, and an important one for each of us to learn.