Managing Difficult Conversations - Brisbane

Managing Difficult Conversations - Brisbane

You know that sinking feeling when you see someone's name pop up on your calendar and your first thought is "Oh great, here we go again"? Whether it's the colleague who always pushes back on everything, the team member who's been underperforming for months, or that awkward conversation about boundaries with your boss - we've all got those people and situations that make our stomachs churn.

Here's the thing: avoiding difficult conversations doesn't make them go away. It just makes them worse. And let's be honest, most of us never learned how to handle these situations properly. We either go in guns blazing and create more drama, or we tiptoe around the issue so much that nothing actually gets resolved.

I've been coaching people through workplace conversations for over fifteen years, and I can tell you that the difference between those who dread these moments and those who handle them with confidence isn't talent - it's technique. The good news? These are learnable skills, not personality traits you're born with.

In this practical workshop, you'll discover how to approach difficult conversations in a way that actually gets results without burning relationships. We'll work through real scenarios that happen in actual workplaces - like when someone's not pulling their weight, when you need to push back on unrealistic deadlines, or when there's tension between team members that's affecting everyone's productivity.

You'll learn the framework that turns potentially explosive situations into productive discussions. We cover how to prepare mentally (because let's face it, half the battle is in your head), how to start these conversations without putting people on the defensive, and most importantly, how to keep things on track when emotions start running high.

We'll also tackle the tricky stuff that nobody talks about - like how to handle someone who gets emotional, what to do when the other person completely shuts down, and how to follow up afterwards to make sure things actually change.

What You'll Learn

How to prepare for difficult conversations so you feel confident instead of anxious
The exact words to use to start tough conversations without making people defensive
Techniques for staying calm and focused when the other person gets emotional or aggressive
How to listen in a way that defuses tension rather than escalating it
Strategies for finding common ground even when you completely disagree
Ways to follow up that ensure real change happens, not just empty promises
How to handle the most common difficult conversation scenarios in your workplace
Tools for managing your own emotions and reactions during tense discussions

The Bottom Line

After this workshop, you'll stop dreading those challenging workplace conversations and start seeing them as opportunities to solve problems and strengthen relationships. You'll have a clear process to follow, specific language that works, and the confidence to address issues before they become bigger problems. Most participants tell me they wish they'd learned these conversation skills years ago - it would've saved them so much stress and drama. Whether you're dealing with underperformance, boundary issues, or just need to have honest conversations about what's not working, you'll walk away with practical tools you can use immediately.