Difficult Conversations at Work

Overview

We have all experienced situations in which we felt uncomfortable or awkward at the prospect of having a ‘difficult conversation’. This usually happens when the issues at stake are important to us and/or to our Organisation, and we are unsure of how things will turn out. We may be concerned about saying the ‘wrong’ thing, or we really care about the people with whom we disagree, or feel strongly on the subject being discussed, so there is potential for us to experience the situation as one of conflict.

Difficult or uncomfortable conversations if conducted correctly, and at a relatively early stage, can avoid the escalation to more serious issues.

This training will provide you with the practical tools and techniques to utilise immediately when you return to the workplace.

Objectives

By attending this virtual workshop, you will –

• Plan and prepare for a difficult conversation
• Know how to frame the conversation – what to say and how to respond
• Understand how to defuse difficult situations and adjust your own behaviour and communication style to get results
• Improve working relationships with colleagues, those you report to and those who report to you
• Remove the barriers to conducting uncomfortable or difficult conversations
• Give feedback in a positive way to improve performance

Content

• What are difficult or challenging conversations?
• Defining situations where correcting performance conversations are appropriate
• Handling conflict
• Planning and structuring a difficult or challenging conversation
• When to take accountability and action
• The skills of Re(framing) your conversations
• Being aware of your body language
• Using positive words and phrases
• Setting expectations and focusing on outcomes
• Avoiding misunderstandings – clear communication
• Being empathetic and providing support
• Making a request without it feeling like a criticism
• Managing emotional people
• Taking control of a conversation
• Explaining the next steps
• Focusing on outcomes
• Personal Action Plans