Course Outline
Introduction
- Why difficult conversations are avoided
- The cost of misalignment and unspoken tension
- Conversation vs confrontation
- The leadership mindset required for candour
- Understanding psychological safety
The Anatomy of a Difficult Conversation
- Common conversation breakdown patterns
- Emotional triggers and reactivity
- Power dynamics and role clarity
- The difference between intention and impact
Structuring the Conversation
- Clarifying the real objective
- Preparing the conversation framework
- Opening strongly and setting context
- Naming expectations clearly
- Moving from problem to agreement
Managing Emotion and Resistance
- Recognizing defensiveness
- Responding without escalating
- Staying grounded under pressure
- De-escalation strategies
- Rebuilding trust when conversations derail
Accountability and Follow-Through
- Setting clear behavioural expectations
- Defining ownership and timelines
- Documenting agreements
- Following up without micromanaging
Practice Lab
- Role-play exercises
- Peer feedback
- Hot-seat Coaching debriefs
- Application to real workplace scenarios
Summary and Next Steps
- Common pitfalls to avoid
- Personal action plan
- Embedding courageous conversations into leadership practice
Requirements
- An understanding of basic leadership principles
- Experience managing or leading teams
- Prior experience participating in team meetings or performance discussions
Audience
- Managers and team leads
- HR and People & Culture professionals
- Senior leaders and executives
- Project and program managers
- Anyone responsible for leading conversations that influence performance or direction
Delivery Options
Private Group Training
Our identity is rooted in delivering exactly what our clients need.
- Pre-course call with your trainer
- Customisation of the learning experience to achieve your goals -
- Bespoke outlines
- Practical hands-on exercises containing data / scenarios recognisable to the learners
- Training scheduled on a date of your choice
- Delivered online, onsite/classroom or hybrid by experts sharing real world experience
Private Group Prices RRP from €2280 online delivery, based on a group of 2 delegates, €720 per additional delegate (excludes any certification / exam costs). We recommend a maximum group size of 12 for most learning events.
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Public Training
Please see our public courses
Testimonials (4)
training and feedback
Jochen Jung - Bachem
Course - DZM – delegating tasks and motivating employees
Explains well the topic.
Gilbert Pineda - Quartzelec Ltd (Philippines Branch)
Course - Leadership 101
Info about RPA, AI and IoT.
Jubilee Petil - Accenture Inc.
Course - Digital Transformation: Disrupting the Common Delivery of the Common Business Landscape
I generally was benefit from the interaction and flexibility.