The Problem
Your friend texted something snarky on a group thread, but you didn’t speak up. Your colleague didn’t publicly back up on a decision when they’d said they would, but you didn’t want to make a big deal about it. Your partner rolled their eyes during a stressful conversation, but you didn’t want to exacerbate the debate.
But then you ruminated, worried, and felt frustrated.
The Big Small Thing
Have a bold conversation.
Get it out of the way now instead of holding off. A bold, 3-minute talk can lead to 3 years of a great relationship. When you don’t have the 3-minute talk, you might suffer needlessly for 3 years.
In 2013, I had a short conversation with a stakeholder to clear up one sentence I had misinterpreted in an email. Before the chat, I felt intimidated by this person; every 1:1 made me anxious. After it, we became close partners, confidants, and friends. To this day, this person is one of my favorite people I work with at Google.
How This Helps You Get What You Want
When you don’t have bold conversations, you create unnecessary tension, and you miss opportunities. When you do have bold conversations, you strengthen relationships, and you build trust: two key ingredients for getting the friendships, colleagues, and relationships you want.
