Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify personal triggers and emotional responses to conflict and difficult conversations.
• Apply a structured, step-by-step model for preparing and conducting high-stakes dialogue.
• Utilise active listening and probing questions to uncover underlying needs and interests.
• Maintain composure and manage strong emotions in themselves and others during tense exchanges.
• Deliver constructive feedback and confront performance issues assertively and non-defensively.
• Facilitate conflict resolution between two or more parties as a mediator or manager.
• Negotiate mutually acceptable solutions that preserve the professional relationship.
• De-escalate aggressive or hostile behaviour effectively and respectfully.

Target Audience

• Managers, Supervisors, and Team Leaders who manage people and performance.
• Human Resources Professionals involved in mediation and employee relations.
• Project Managers coordinating cross-functional teams with competing priorities.
• Customer Service and Client-Facing roles dealing with challenging clients.
• Employees seeking to improve their ability to advocate for themselves and their ideas.
• Anyone who finds themselves avoiding or struggling with confrontational situations.

• Extensive role-playing with video-recorded feedback.
• Structured scenarios based on common workplace conflicts.
• Small group discussions and case analysis.
• Individual preparation and scripting exercises.
• Live coaching and facilitated group debriefs.

Unit 1: Understanding Conflict Dynamics

• Defining a difficult conversation: "What happened," "Feelings," and "Identity" components.
• The costs of avoidance and the benefits of proactive engagement.
• Recognising the five major conflict styles (Competing, Collaborating, Avoiding, Accommodating, Compromising).
• Identifying your personal conflict style preference and its impact on outcomes.

• Exploring the "Ladder of Inference" and challenging assumptions.
• Understanding emotional triggers and managing personal reactivity.
• The role of perception, intent, and impact in escalating misunderstandings.
• Building psychological safety as a foundation for honest dialogue.

Unit 2: The Structured Approach to Dialogue

• Clearly defining your purpose and desired outcome for the conversation.
• Gathering and verifying objective data and evidence.
• Anticipating the other party's perspective, concerns, and potential reactions.
• Developing a range of possible solutions before the meeting.

• Initiating the conversation with a clear, non-confrontational opening.
• The power of "I" statements to express impact without blame.
• Techniques for using silence and non-verbal cues to encourage openness.
• Summarising and testing for mutual understanding before moving to solutions.

Unit 3: Listening and Empathy Skills

• Moving beyond "waiting to speak" to truly active and reflective listening.
• Asking open-ended, non-judgmental questions to surface interests, not just positions.
• Identifying the emotional content behind the spoken words.
• Using paraphrasing and mirroring to demonstrate understanding and build trust.

• Distinguishing between empathy, sympathy, and agreement.
• Practising "perspective-taking" to see the issue from the other side.
• Validating the other person's feelings without necessarily validating their behaviour.
• Tools for managing your own defensive or judgmental reactions.

Unit 4: Resolution and Positive Outcomes

• Shifting the focus from blame to joint problem-solving.
• Generating multiple options and evaluating them against mutual interests.
• Techniques for dealing with resistance, stonewalling, or emotional outbursts.
• Committing to a clear, actionable plan and establishing follow-up.

• Managing conflict within a team: coaching for productive disagreement.
• Delivering challenging performance feedback effectively.
• Handling conversations about salary, resources, or organisational change.
• Strategies for dealing with consistently difficult personalities.

Unit 5: Practice and Integration

• Intense role-playing scenarios covering a range of difficult workplace conversations.
• Receiving and integrating constructive feedback on communication style.
• Developing a personal "difficult conversation script" for a current challenge.
• Creating an action plan for applying learned skills in the next 30 days.