Face to Face Conversation Tips for Employees

	Do...	Avoid...
Feedback	Be approachable Listen to understand Be open minded Be specific; use examples	Acting defensive Not taking responsibility Blaming others Using “always” and “never”
Ask Questions	Actively listen without interrupting Ask questions when things aren’t clear Ask for specific examples Talk about what you need to do your job	Interrupting or finishing someone’s sentence Jumping to conclusions Thinking about how you will respond while the other person is talking Making assumptions
Conversation	Actively participate in the conversation Value different points of view Communicate in a professional manner	Holding things back Dodging uncomfortable issues Minimizing your contribution Only participating when you disagree
Explore Options	Take the initiative and offer suggestions Create mutually agreed upon actions and time lines Be realistic Discuss professional development needs Offer solutions	Ignoring problems Being resistant to change Comparing yourself to other employees Dwelling on the past Being closed minded when exploring solutions