Prepare for a hard conversation

Help me prepare for a conversation about {{topic}}. What I want: {{outcome}}

Give me: the point in two sentences, said plainly; the three responses they are
most likely to have and what each one would mean; and what I should be willing to
change my mind about.

Then name the thing I am probably avoiding saying, and whether the conversation
works without it.

What to fill in

{{topic}}

What it's about — e.g. telling a contractor the work isn't good enough

{{outcome}}

What you actually want to happen — e.g. one more attempt with clearer specs, or a clean end