Difficult Conversations for Managers

It is inevitable that at some point during the course of work that we will need to initiate a difficult conversation with a co-worker, subordinate or one’s own manager. Because the themes of these conversations are usually emotionally loaded and touch on demanding issues like performance, behaviour conduct, conflict or personal issues, we often tend to avoid them. While these situations can be uncomfortable, they are very necessary, and if handled correctly can be very constructive and conducive to better work performance and increased harmony and co-operation in the workplace.

• Why employees don’t do what you want them to do.
• What is a difficult conversation? Different kinds of difficult conversation.
• The most difficult subjects to tackle.
• When to do difficult conversations.
• How to hold a difficult conversation:
  o    Tools, steps and tips.
  o    Skills practice and cases.
• Avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes.

DURATION: 1 day with 1 day optional follow-up. If the 1 day follow-up is chosen, an implementation assignment will be given where the skills will be applied in the normal course of work and complementing everyday issues in the workplace. At the follow-up session these transfer applications will be processed and a further deepening of skills and tools will be provided.

All the training sessions always include practical exercises and usable tools for immediate application. The sessions are multi-modal, with short theoretical inputs, demonstrations, film clips, skills practice, training games, energizers, interactive and application exercises.