No bulletproof way
If you’re trying to create advantage, you’ll need to embrace risk. There’s no bulletproof way to surprise.
Hard is simple.
Hard conversations can be simple. They are, actually. Though they feel hard because you’re invested into it. You have consequences you’d rather not dealing with. Yet —in the vast majority of cases— they’re simple. And here’s the thing: you already know in your gut which way to go. Trust. Your. Gut.