Mastering Difficult Conversations

Difficult conversations at work are often avoided. Many people choose to struggle on with the current situation rather than confronting their fears in a challenging meeting, which often results in bigger problems further down the line.

Those who find the courage to have a difficult conversation will discover that this is the key to unlocking progress, opening the door to honest communication and building mutual respect.

In this practical, interactive course, your team members will develop their confidence and skills in having difficult conversations that empower them to move forward.

Through role plays and practical exercises, your team members will learn to navigate difficult conversations using the Fearless CONNECT™ Framework, our established 7-step approach to more effective conversations. They’ll also explore the 5 Fearless Rules for Navigating a Difficult Conversation, which provide practical guidance for putting these skills into practice.

The course will be lively, gently challenging and highly interactive, creating a supportive environment in which participants can learn through experience. The training can be customised with tailored speaking exercises and role plays that reflect the real-world conversations your team members face.

Embedding the learning

To help participants put their learning into practice beyond the training and support long-term skill retention, they will receive a range of practical resources to refer back to. These include the Fearless CONNECT™ Framework, the 5 Fearless Rules for Navigating a Difficult Conversation, as well as video content, cheat sheets and guides to help them apply their learning over time.

• Changing your mindset – seeing the conversation as an opportunity for growth
• Understanding different perspectives – considering the other person's point of view and how different people respond to challenging conversations
• Preparing for the conversation – clarifying key messages, identifying relevant evidence and establishing desired outcomes
• The Fearless CONNECT™ Framework – a structured, 7 step approach to navigating difficult conversations
• The 5 Fearless Rules for Navigating a Difficult Conversation – practical principles to support effective conversations
• Communicating with clarity and confidence – how to convey messages clearly and professionally, with appropriate language and tone
• Giving effective feedback – techniques for delivering feedback constructively
• Making difficult requests – communicating what’s needed clearly and gaining support for your position
• Navigating pushback and challenging reactions – staying composed, listening effectively and responding constructively to disagreement or defensiveness
• Adapting your approach – considering how to navigate difficult conversations over video calls and face-to-face and how to create the conditions for a productive conversation
• Agreeing a way forward – establishing a shared understanding, agreeing next steps and maintaining a positive working relationship