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Managers are frequently under-confident about tackling staff on issues that may be judged ‘sensitive’. When not handled with clarity and confidence, discussions that centre on performance, attendance or timekeeping, or more intimate matters like behaviour or even personal hygiene can create unnecessary tensions with the result that things can get worse, not better. Courageous Conversations has grown out of our experience in supporting managers who need to tackle such topics in a productive, fair and balanced way, and be sure of getting the results they need. This means striking the right note of respectful concern for the employee, personally and professionally, while addressing the job performance or other issues directly. The purpose of this approach is to enhance managers’ skills so that they can feel and act with greater confidence, set goals for their conversations and respectfully follow-through with staff. Such productive conversations reduce the risk that staff members will feel unheard, misunderstood or under-valued. The aim is to produce more collaborative relationships between managers and employees generally, and in particular where the subject under discussion might otherwise result in confrontation.

Objectives

• Greater understanding of the importance of one to one relationships at work
  
• Skillfulness in a framework for safe and effective conversations
  
• Greater confidence when tackling sensitive issues or difficult topics with colleagues
  
• Enables more collaborative working to avoid resistance
  
• Provides a solution focused structure that will improve results
  

Introduction and expectations for the day
How effective conversations build productive of the importance of
relationships and minimise stress one-to-one
One-to-one conversations - assumptions and fears relationships at work
The framework for effective conversations
When managers must tackle sensitive issues
Planning the meeting with the employee conversations
Setting and maintaining boundaries  
Deciding on outcomes and goals
Listening skills, summarising, framing the response
The productive use of language staff
Monitoring and follow-through
Common pitfalls and traps to avoid
Review and action planning and improved
Communication in sensitive situations outcomes
Giving news, ‘good’ or ‘bad’, feedback and comment
Setting the scene and following through

As with all our courses, this is a highly interactive day involving group exercises, discussion and lectures. It is supported by a PowerPoint presentation, a set of revision notes and reading list. The contents above may vary depending on the
precise needs of the group on the day.