Difficult Conversations at Work
Course Outline: How to Have Difficult Conversations at Work
By David Smith, Leadership Coach
Course Overview
What if the conversations you have been avoiding are actually your biggest leadership opportunity? How many opportunities for growth, connection and positive change are we missing by going silent instead of getting courageous?
In today's fast moving work culture, the skill of dealing with difficult conversations is not just a nice to have: it's essential for anyone who wants to lead effectively and develop meaningful professional relationships. Practical and Comprehensive, Your Approach to Workplace Conversations Will Never Be the Same. Feel those knots in your stomach before the meeting? Dread the conflict that prevents you from sharing your truth?
Time: 1 day (8 hours) workshop intensive
Location: Brisbane
Type: Workshop/interactive learning including role plays and hands on practice, with peer sharing
Small Class Size: Maximum of 16 participants, for personalised attention
Learning Outcomes
Learning Objectives By the end of this course, you will be able to:
How to have tough conversations at work with confidence and composure: • Demonstrate confidence as you launch hard conversations that you may have been avoiding and then manage the conversation with a solid process • Prepare in advance and conduct the conversation with much less anxiety and much more effectiveness • Use a particular language pattern that invites open sharing and reduces the likelihood you would receive a defensive response • Use strategies to emotionally self regulate to remain professional and composed during the discussion • Follow up effectively so what you said during a tough conversation becomes just the start of the shift, and ensure that the relationship remains maintained or improved • Determine when a tough conversation is really necessary (rather than other options) based on reading the situation accurately • Provide tough conversations (and the skills to handle them) so that you can help to nip minor issues in the bud before they turn into major drama and chaos
Course Modules
Module 1: Reframing Difficult Conversations
What's behind the aversion to conversation?
Recognising the real price of delayed conversation
Changing from a competitive outlook to a cooperative one
Module 2: Strategic Preparation Framework
A 5 step preparation model that will work no matter if you have weeks or only hours left.
Identifying desired outcomes versus positions
Prediction and flexibility in planning ahead
Module 3: Open the Doors with Your Language
Proven phrases that reduce defensiveness
I statements and neutral language work too
What not to say in difficult conversations
Module 4: Managing Emotional Dynamics
Identifying emotional hot buttons in yourself and other people.
Break out of hot topics with de escalation skills
Remaining solution oriented during times of high emotion
Module 5: "I Can Talk With Others"
Handling deflection and topic changing behaviours
Returning to the heart of the matter
Managing time and energy boundaries
Follow up for Continued Change Module 6: Creating Accountability
Documentation strategies that protect relationships
Creating accountability without micromanagement
Building stronger working relationships post conversation
What You Will Learn
Real World Communication Tactics: Learn the exact words and phrases it takes to get co workers to remain open to feedback, no matter what, even when it comes to the toughest of issues. Learn how to start conversations that begin a collaborative tone from the first sentence.
How To Prepare: Create a simple process for preparation so you can prepare for tough talks in as little as five minutes, or as long as five days. Learn to set and align expectations and desired outcomes.
Emotional Intelligence Applications: Develop your ability to identify and control the emotions, both yours and others, during a difficult conversation. Discover ways to remain in the centre of the storm when heated exchanges arise.
Techniques for Conflict Resolution: Learn how to identify problems and solve problems, while maintaining or even improving, business relationships. Learn the distinction between being direct and brutal.
Timing and Assessment: Learn the difference between needing to talk now and when you should bring it up later. Learn judgement on when to take the matter to another level or to solve it on your own.
Prevention Through Leadership: Learn how good supervisory skills and proactive communication can make many difficult conversations unnecessary. Learn how to fix minor concerns before they turn into big problems.
Professional Recording: Learn how to properly document difficult conversations and when HR should be notified and focus on interpersonal communication.
Course Benefits
This workshop is hands on and practical and allows parties to apply theories in realistic work scenarios. Attendees partake in structured, role played scenarios, peer feedback workshops, and one to one coaching moments that instil true confidence for implementation in the real world.
Summary
Why is it with some people, they just seem to be able to naturally, easily head into that difficult conversation you know about a situation at work, but others can barely handle a small correction? It's not a matter of personality, it's skill, preparation and mindset. This program gives you powerful tools and confidence for workplace conversation that turn conflict and tension into something positive.
You'll walk away with a toolbox of proven techniques, specific language patterns, and a reframe on workplace communication that honours your growth and your team's. The discussions that would have kept you up at night, now opportunities to further your leadership effectiveness and ability to influence and impact people in work.
Spending some time, and yes, risking saying something stupid, when you could opt instead for the safe banality of maximum plausible deniability, is a basic investment in the future of clear, brave communications. It pays, in professional respect, team empowerment and personal self respect, dividends.