Difficult conversations
When advice is not what a client hoped to hear.
Difficult conversations / 01
Before you reply
to that email
What came before it? What needs attention now? What would a useful reply achieve?
Ed’s approach starts with the whole exchange and the practical consequences of responding.
Read the articleFrom the article · Ed’s supplied reasoning
I want the client to understand the recommendation.
The context, the immediate question and what remains unresolved belong in the same conversation.
The people and decisions behind the work
Beyond procedure
Judgment in practice
The trade-offs behind a settlement decision.
Running the practice
The work waiting after a morning in court.
The people behind the file
What changes when a client’s priorities change.
Context & evidence
What a screenshot leaves out.
Lessons & developments
What experience or a recent decision changes in practice.