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Rather stew in silence than open a can of worms? Get talking to reach a resolution.

There are some conversations we could put off forever. The type that can only end in tears, tempers or tantrums. Whether it’s as big as telling team members their future is uncertain or as small as admitting to a red-wine-on-white-sofa accident, the knot in our stomach remains.

Even when we get over our dry mouth long enough to start the conversation, there’s the fear of how the other person will respond. But avoiding it altogether only makes things worse.

Luckily there are techniques to start, hold and end a tricky conversation in a way that leaves everyone if not happy, at least not seething. This Live action will get you talking.

Example scenarios

A team member has started coming into work late, looking untidy and acting distracted. You’ve no idea what’s caused the change but you need to get to the root of it before it gets picked up by senior management. How do you broach the subject without seeming nosey?

A project has gone horribly wrong and the customer is not happy at all. In retrospect you probably gave a team member too much responsibility, but they should have come to you if they weren’t coping. It’s down to you to make sure this never happens again.

A cultural clash means junior team members are complaining about a new manager. You know the manager means well but their style rubs people up the wrong way. How can you resolve the problem without being seen to take sides?