Managing Difficult Conversations

Managing Difficult Conversations

You know that sinking feeling when you see an email that's going to lead to 'one of those conversations'? Or when you walk into a meeting knowing someone's going to bring up that awkward topic everyone's been avoiding? We've all been there - staring at our computer screen trying to figure out how to address poor performance, deliver bad news, or tell someone their behaviour is affecting the team.

The thing is, most of us never actually learned how to handle these conversations properly. We either avoid them completely (and watch problems get worse), or we dive in and somehow make everything more uncomfortable than it needs to be. I've seen managers postpone performance reviews for months because they don't know how to bring up sensitive issues, and I've watched team relationships fall apart because someone tried to 'clear the air' but ended up making it worse.

Here's what I've learned after years of helping people navigate these tricky situations: difficult conversations don't have to be disasters. When you know what you're doing, they can actually strengthen relationships and solve problems instead of creating new ones. You just need the right framework and some practice.

This course gives you practical tools that actually work in real workplace situations. We're not talking about theory here - we're talking about what to say when your colleague keeps interrupting everyone in meetings, how to tell someone their work isn't meeting standards without crushing their confidence, and how to handle those heated discussions that seem to spiral out of control.

You'll learn how to prepare for tough conversations so you feel confident going in, how to stay calm when things get emotional, and how to guide discussions toward solutions instead of blame. We'll cover everything from giving feedback that people can actually hear, to dealing with defensive reactions, to knowing when to pause and regroup.

What You'll Learn

How to plan and structure difficult conversations so they stay on track
Techniques for staying calm and professional when emotions run high
Ways to deliver tough messages that maintain respect and dignity
Strategies for handling defensive reactions and resistance
Methods for turning conflict into collaboration
How to follow up effectively to ensure lasting change

The Bottom Line

After this training, you'll stop dreading those difficult conversations. Instead, you'll have the confidence and skills to address issues head-on, maintain positive working relationships, and create real solutions. Your team will notice the difference, and you'll wonder why you waited so long to develop these conversation skills. Whether you're dealing with performance issues, team conflicts, or sensitive workplace topics, you'll know exactly how to handle them professionally and effectively.

This course runs in Perth and gives you the practical communication tools every leader needs to build stronger, more honest working relationships and tackle workplace challenges with confidence.