Managing Difficult Conversations - Adelaide

Managing Difficult Conversations - Adelaide

You know that sinking feeling when you need to address poor performance with someone on your team, or when a colleague's constantly interrupting you in meetings and you're not sure how to handle it without making things worse? We've all been there. Those conversations we keep putting off because we're worried about how they'll react, or because we don't want to damage the relationship. But here's the thing - avoiding these conversations usually makes problems bigger, not smaller.

I've been training people in workplace communication for over fifteen years, and I can tell you that most of us were never actually taught how to have these tough talks. We wing it, hope for the best, or just suffer in silence. That's where this workshop comes in. This isn't about becoming confrontational or aggressive - it's about learning practical techniques that help you address issues directly while maintaining respect and professionalism.

During this session, you'll learn how to prepare for difficult conversations so you feel confident going in, not anxious. We'll cover how to use specific language that reduces defensiveness and actually gets people listening. You'll practice techniques for staying calm when the other person gets emotional or pushes back. We'll also work through real scenarios like giving negative feedback, addressing unprofessional behavior, and handling conflicts between team members.

The approach we use focuses on being clear and direct without being harsh. It's about finding solutions together rather than just pointing out problems. You'll learn how to set boundaries professionally, how to redirect conversations that go off track, and most importantly, how to follow up after difficult conversations to make sure issues are actually resolved.

What You'll Learn

How to prepare mentally and practically for challenging conversations so you feel ready instead of dreading them. We'll cover what to say, where to have the conversation, and how to set the right tone from the start.

Specific phrases and techniques that help reduce defensiveness and keep conversations productive, even when discussing sensitive topics like performance issues or difficult behaviours.

Methods for staying composed when emotions run high, including how to manage your own stress response and how to help others calm down during heated moments.

Strategies for different types of difficult conversations, from giving constructive criticism to addressing workplace conflicts to having boundary-setting discussions with colleagues.

How to document and follow up on these conversations appropriately, ensuring that agreements are clear and progress is actually made.

Practical tools for turning conflict into collaboration, including how to find common ground and work toward managing difficult conversations that strengthen rather than damage working relationships.

The Bottom Line

After this workshop, you'll have a toolkit of practical strategies that work in real workplace situations. You'll feel more confident addressing problems early before they escalate, and you'll be able to have honest conversations that actually solve issues rather than just creating more drama. Most importantly, you'll learn how to maintain good working relationships even when you need to have tough talks. These skills don't just make your work life easier - they make you a more effective leader and team member overall.