As a superintendent, when a parent reaches my office, it’s never for a feel-good moment. Like you, I also dread these conversations. I get butterflies in my stomach and wonder how I can fix this, not knowing where the conversation will end.
This scenario used to stress me out—until I found THIS powerful strategy!
I start the conversation with, "How can I help? I’m listening." That’s all it takes.
The parent then has the green light to talk, venting all their emotions and frustrations. Just that always makes them feel good, and you want them to feel good when starting a conversation!
From there, I can listen, read body language, and tone of voice, and navigate the meeting accordingly. Try this out the next time you must meet with an irate parent; I guarantee it will be a game-changer! The parent felt seen, heard, and validated! And from there we could work out a plan.
If you liked this strategy, enroll in my NEW low-ticket course called From Discord to Dialogue.
It’s a short course offering five strategies to help you navigate any stressful conversations!
See you inside the student portal!
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