Managing Difficult Conversations - Adelaide

Managing Difficult Conversations - Adelaide

You know that conversation you've been putting off for weeks? The one about your colleague who keeps missing deadlines, or having to tell your team about budget cuts, or addressing that awkward situation where someone's personal hygiene is affecting the whole office? Yeah, we've all been there. And most of us would rather reorganise our sock drawer than have those conversations.

Here's the thing - avoiding difficult conversations doesn't make them disappear. It just makes them harder and more uncomfortable when you finally can't avoid them anymore. I've seen managers tie themselves in knots trying to dance around issues that could've been resolved with one honest, well-handled conversation months earlier.

This isn't about becoming confrontational or turning into the office tough guy. It's about learning how to have the conversations that matter in a way that actually gets results. You'll discover how to bring up sensitive topics without making people defensive, how to stay calm when emotions start running high, and how to guide conversations toward solutions instead of blame.

We'll work through real scenarios - the kind you actually face at work, not theoretical textbook examples. You'll practice active listening techniques that help people feel heard even when you're delivering news they don't want to hear. And you'll learn how to set boundaries and expectations clearly without coming across as the bad guy.

What You'll Learn

How to prepare for difficult conversations so you feel confident instead of dreading them
Techniques for staying calm and focused when discussions get heated or emotional
Ways to frame sensitive topics that reduce defensiveness and open up dialogue
Scripts and phrases that work for common workplace situations
How to listen actively and respond in ways that move conversations forward
Strategies for dealing with people who become aggressive, shut down, or try to deflect
Methods for following up after difficult conversations to ensure lasting change

The Bottom Line

After this training, you'll stop dreading those tough conversations and start seeing them as opportunities to solve problems and strengthen relationships. You'll have practical tools you can use immediately, whether you're dealing with difficult behaviours at work or need to address performance issues with your team. Most importantly, you'll discover that having difficult conversations skillfully actually makes your work life easier, not harder.