Being able to deal with difficult conversations effectively is an essential business skill that is invaluable in maintaining good relationships and retaining business.
Disagreements don’t disappear when they’re ignored. People are often concerned about having a difficult conversation because they’re worried the client or colleague might react defensively to what they’ve got to say. They need to be dealt with in an appropriate way that achieves the desired result and keeps the relationship intact.
This session will give people valuable techniques to prepare for a difficult situation, get the conversation off to the best possible start and manage their emotions.
Learning objectives
- Learn new strategies for handling difficult conversations effectively
- Avoid wasting precious energy on feeling negative about a person or situation
- Know how to structure the opening of a difficult conversation more effectively
- Understand what makes a conversation difficult and be able to prepare effectively for it
- Have increased the ability to manage one’s own and others’ emotions successfully
Webinar outline
Designed as a highly interactive 90-minute webinar.
1. Welcome, agenda, reflection of own unconscious biases
- Welcome, introduction to the system
- Facilitated ‘chat’ or ‘mic’ discussion - which conversations do you find challenging?
- Agenda and personal objectives using ‘chat’
2. Preparing for a challenging conversation
- Participants are challenged on how they currently prepare for difficult conversations
- The importance of preparing for conversations they find challenging with tips shared
- The value in predicting reactions and choosing words wisely
- Participants reflect on a difficult conversation they have had recently or need to have, and plan what message they will deliver and how
3. Managing nerves and emotions
- Introduction to the belief cycle and how beliefs affect outcomes
- How reframing beliefs can help change the delivery and outcome of challenging situations
- Participants either reflect or work in pairs to reframe a belief they have about a difficult conversation they need to have or have recently had
4. Structuring and holding effective feedback conversations
- Participants are introduced to a tried-and-tested model for giving effective feedback
- Opening difficult conversations and the importance of not approaching the conversation too lightly and diminishing the main message
- Group ‘chat’ explores a feedback scenario
5. Action plans and next steps
- Participants reflect on their next steps and how they will implement their learning in the workplace
- Each person makes a commitment for what they will do differently in a group whiteboard which can be circulated to participants following the session as a reminder of their actions
