How can managers redirect conversations with their staff to effectively solve problems?

A major reason why problems are difficult to solve is because it is often challenging for a manager or owner to relay to an employee exactly what it is they want to say. Instead, they gear the conversation more toward what the employee wants to hear. Although in a roundabout way they may discuss parts of the issue at hand, they never get through the whole issue because the manager becomes afraid of offending the employee. It is extremely important to remember that the purpose of the conversation is to solve a dangling issue, and coming up short in your message will most likely result in coming up short toward solving the problem.

Never be afraid of saying what you mean, and never be afraid of confronting issues head-on. Remember that you are not in the business of pleasing everyone all of the time. You are the one who steers the ship, so the onus is on you to make sure your message resonates loud and clear. Ultimately, it is you who is responsible for charting the course of direction. Allowing your employees to stray from the course makes things difficult for everyone. Although they may appear resistant, employees respond well to structure. Never be afraid of delivering your message. Just make sure that the message is consistent and geared toward long-term results for your organization.

-Eric Priceman, Victory