Mike Lipkin
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In the past year, he has spoken to over one hundred thousand people in nineteen countries and delivered 150 programs – either in-person or online. Almost every working day, excluding public holidays and travel days, he was talking to an audience somewhere on the planet. In fact, his life is one long conversation. Mike is president of Environics/Lipkin, a global communication and motivation company
The most common reason people avoid hard conversations isn't fear of the outcome.
It's not knowing how to start.
They imagine the other person getting defensive. The conversation spiraling. Saying the wrong thing and making it worse than if they'd said nothing at all.
So here's where I start with every leader I coach: the opening.
The CLEAR framework begins with two moves:
C — Center the conversation. One sentence of framing. Not an attack. Not a warning shot. Just a signal that what follows matters.
"I want to talk about something on my mind. It matters to me that I get this right, so I will be careful with my words."
"This isn't easy for me to bring up. I'm bringing it up because I respect you and the work you're doing."
That one sentence changes the temperature of the room before you've said anything hard.
L — Lead with the truth. Specific, real, brief. Two sentences and you're done.
"In the last two leadership meetings, you spoke over Priya twice. I want to talk about that."
"You closed three of nine opportunities last quarter against a target of seven. We need a real plan for Q3."
No preamble. No softening. No burying the point in three minutes of build-up. Just the truth, said cleanly.
The open sets everything that follows. Get it right and the rest of the conversation has a chance.
What's the conversation you've been struggling to open?
Watch the full video at MikeLipkin.com
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