Sheila Heen

Sheila Heen has made a name for herself as a leading expert on difficult conversations and feedback. She is a Harvard-trained attorney, a professor at Harvard Law School, the co-author of the best selling book, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, and the co-founder of the Difficult Conversations Training business. She is also on the faculty faculty at Harvard's Negotiation and Conflict Management Program.

Heen has written extensively on communication and negotiation, and her work provides invaluable insights into how to have constructive conversations. In Difficult Conversations, Heen and co-author, Doug Stone, provide practical advice for navigating difficult conversations in the workplace and in daily life. Heen argues that the key to successful communication is to approach challenging conversations with curiosity. She states that “good conversations start with curiosity,” and offers tips and tools to help readers become more comfortable with asking questions and exploring different perspectives.

Heen has also written on active listening in her book, Thanks for the Feedback. In this book, she gives guidance on how to accept and use feedback effectively. By emphasizing the importance of separating the person from the message, she encourages readers to focus on the content of the feedback, not the messenger. Furthermore, Heen teaches the reader how to identify their own biases and patterns that affect their ability to respond to feedback constructively.

In addition to her books, Heen’s advice has been highlighted in numerous places. She has participated in TED Talks, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and been featured on CNN, NPR, and the BBC. Heen has also written for Harvard Business Review and The New York Times.

Heen continues to be a leader in the communication space. Her years of experience, coupled with her research-backed writing and easy-to-follow lessons provide invaluable guidance for readers on how to have difficult conversations in a constructive and positive way. Whether it's giving or receiving feedback, Heen has the knowledge and experience to help readers become better communicators and navigate challenging conversations successfully.