Given that 93% of communication that has an emotive component that’s nonverbal, it’s worthwhile in, preparation for a courageous conversation, to consider the tone in which you will open up the discussion. Starting with too soft a tone may inadvertently give someone a message that the subject is possibly not as serious as you believe it to be. Conversely starting with too firm a tone or even a harsh tone may cause the recipient to become unnecessarily defensive. In order to maximize the best possible process and outcome for a courageous conversation it’s worthwhile considering what an appropriate start up tone should sound and feel like.