01 · WHAT'S GOING ON?
Tell me the situation.
Don't clean it up. Include the people, history, concern, politics, uncertainty, or what you're afraid might be true.
OR START WITH A COMMON CONVERSATION
What kind of conversation are you facing?
These are the conversations that come up constantly in founder-led and growing companies. Pick the closest one, then change any detail above.
Sales leader / missed number
Leader / company may have outgrown them
High performer / hurting the team
Cofounder / not supporting decisions
Repeated broken commitments
Defensive when given feedback
Peer / keeps going around me
Owner / changing priorities too often
Leader / not developing the team
Agrees in meetings / doesn't execute
Good person / may be wrong role now
Problems get escalated too late
Leader / wants more people or budget
Employee / wants more authority
Two leaders / can't work together
Trust has been damaged
I think someone may be dishonest
Key leader / disagrees with strategy
Leader / resisting change
Everything is urgent / overwhelmed
Manager / repeated bad hires
Weak performer / tolerated too long
Board member / getting into operations
Investor / pushing a different direction
Key customer / threatening to leave
Customer / wants an exception
Vendor / keeps missing commitments
Promotion disappointment
Founder / needs to let go
Burnout / performance slipping
Final warning / same issue again
Role change / demotion conversation
I handled the conversation badly
One person dominates meetings
Leader / takes too long to decide
Too much work / scope keeps growing
02 · MAKE IT SHARPER
Help me sharpen the conversation.
These should be easy. Pick what feels closest—we'll do the analysis.