Whether you’ve been putting off giving an employee negative feedback or wondering how to react when a coworker erupts in frustration during a meeting, difficult conversations in the workplace are, well, difficult. While there’s no one “right” way to have a difficult conversation, there are guiding principles you can follow and strategies you can employ to facilitate a discussion in which both parties are able to air concerns constructively.

Difficult Conversations takes you through the basics of:

Crafting a clear message
Identifying the other person’s goals
Developing and maintaining a positive mind-set
Conducting a productive conversation

About HBR’s 20-Minute Manager Series:

Don’t have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR’s 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic.

Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives—from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.