Difficult conversations are necessary—at least if you want people to correct mistakes, learn, and grow. Remember one rule: You're trying to help, not win.

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, quit smoking, or manage a chronic condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, you know how hard it can be.

In the March 2014 issue of PM magazine, with a little help from my management peers, I wrote about improving the recruiting process (“A Guide to Better Recruiting”).

So how as leaders do we approach the issue of conflict?

Do you know how productive your staff is? Are they working smarter, not harder? Or maybe not hard at all?