Book excerpt: Why is it that effective action is so often difficult to take? How do you make it work when you do take it? Human nature tends to make action difficult – or make it more likely to be delayed or be done half-heartedly (with subsequent negative impact on results). There are so many unpleasant issues to be faced, such as firing people or dealing with poor or unacceptable behaviour and performance; tackling sensitive issues such as bullying and discrimination; and handling awkward or embarrassing situations like networking or prospecting. Too often, managers and others find themselves in the ‘discomfort zone’ with no chance of avoiding involvement and every wish to steer clear of the unpleasantness. This book faces these difficulties head-on and offers a wealth of excellent advice about reducing the discomfort, taking the right action and increasing the result. The key is to recognise the problem of inaction or avoidance, and to put yourself in the discomfort zone on a regular basis.