Nestor Benavides | Fierce Conversations
Chad talks with Nestor Benavides about the conversations we avoid but desperately need to have. Nestor learned early how to navigate difficult talks and he's used that skill to save businesses, relationships, and careers. They discuss why the conversations that make you most nervous are usually the most important ones, how to ask permission before knocking on emotional doors, and why not having hard conversations often leads to negative outcomes. Nestor shares stories about demoting executives, terminating employees, and helping couples - and why caring about someone means being willing to have uncomfortable conversations with them.
Key Takeaways:
The conversations that scare you most are usually the ones you need to have - If you feel a lot of worry about bringing something up, that's your signal it matters and needs to be discussed
Ask permission before going deep - You can say "I have a question that might be stepping into difficult territory - is it okay if I ask?" and respect their answer
Not having hard conversations leads to bigger problems - Avoiding difficult talks often results in divorce, business failure, or termination when earlier conversations could have fixed things
Show you care through actions, not words - Don't tell people you care about them, just care about them and they'll feel it; love the whole person, not just parts of them
