Managing Difficult Conversations - Brisbane
Managing Difficult Conversations - Brisbane
You know that knot in your stomach when you see your colleague's name pop up on your calendar for "a quick chat"? Or when your boss asks if you've got five minutes to discuss something? We've all been there - putting off conversations we know need to happen, hoping the problem will somehow sort itself out. Spoiler alert: it never does.
I've spent years helping people navigate these tricky waters, and here's what I've learned - the conversations you're avoiding are usually the ones that matter most. Whether it's addressing poor performance, giving feedback that stings a bit, or dealing with someone who just won't play ball, these conversations don't have to be the career-limiting disasters we imagine them to be.
The thing is, most of us never learned how to have these talks properly. We either go in guns blazing and burn bridges, or we water down our message so much that nothing actually changes. Both approaches leave everyone frustrated and the original problem still sitting there like an unwanted house guest.
This course is about finding that sweet spot - being direct without being destructive, firm without being harsh. You'll learn how to prepare for conversations that actually stick, how to keep things on track when emotions start running high, and most importantly, how to walk away knowing you've been heard and understood.
We'll work through real scenarios - like telling someone their presentation skills need work without crushing their confidence, addressing a team member who constantly misses deadlines, or having that awkward conversation about personal hygiene that nobody wants to have but everyone's thinking about. These aren't role-plays with perfect outcomes; they're the messy, complicated situations you'll face next week.
What You'll Learn
How to prepare for tough conversations so you're not winging it when emotions get heated
Specific phrases and approaches that get your point across without putting people on the defensive
Ways to handle pushback, excuses, and those conversations that seem to go nowhere
Techniques for staying calm when the other person isn't
How to manage workplace anxiety that comes with confrontation
Follow-up strategies that ensure change actually happens
When to involve HR or your manager, and when to handle things yourself
You'll also discover how to read the room better - recognizing when someone's genuinely confused versus when they're being deliberately difficult. There's a big difference between needing more clarity and needing clearer boundaries, and knowing which one you're dealing with changes everything.
The Bottom Line
After this training, you won't dread these conversations anymore. You'll have a toolkit of practical strategies that work in real situations with real people who don't always cooperate. You'll know how to be honest without being brutal, how to set boundaries without burning bridges, and most importantly, how to have conversations that actually solve problems instead of creating new ones.
This isn't about becoming the office enforcer or learning to love conflict. It's about developing the confidence to address issues before they become bigger problems, and the skills to do it in a way that maintains professional relationships while getting results. Because at the end of the day, avoiding difficult conversations doesn't make them go away - it just makes them more difficult.