Intermediate
Difficult conversation rehearsal
Rehearse a hard conversation — a performance issue, a resignation, a board challenge — before you have it, with likely responses and your own reactions surfaced.
How it works
Difficult conversations go wrong when we haven't sat with the reality before we speak. This technique gives you a low-cost rehearsal. Before the conversation: - Read the AI draft, then close it. Don't take a script into the room. - Notice which response you dreaded most. That's the one to prepare for. - Decide your minimum acceptable outcome, separate from what you hope for. Ethical guardrails: - Do not paste real names or identifying details of employees into the AI. - Statutory / grievance processes have their own procedure — this is preparation, not a substitute. - HR and legal review anything with disciplinary implications.
Example prompt
I need to have a difficult conversation with {ROLE} about {ISSUE}. Help me rehearse it. Draft: (1) the opening line I could use — under 40 words, honest, non-euphemistic, (2) 3 likely responses from them (defensive, upset, agreeing), (3) how I could respond to each without escalating or backing down, (4) the outcome I'm holding for the conversation — separate from being liked, (5) two things I need to NOT say. This is preparation, not a script — keep it human.