Managing Difficult Conversations - Perth

Managing Difficult Conversations - Perth

You know that sinking feeling when you have to tell someone their work isn't up to scratch, or when you need to address that colleague who always hijacks meetings with their personal dramas? We've all been there – staring at our computer screen, drafting and redrafting that email, or rehearsing what we're going to say in the bathroom mirror before a tough conversation. The truth is, most of us would rather clean the office toilets than deal with workplace conflict head-on.

But here's the thing I've learned after twenty years of helping managers navigate these choppy waters: avoiding difficult conversations doesn't make them disappear. It just makes them harder, messier, and more expensive to deal with later. Every day you put off that performance conversation, every week you let that toxic behaviour slide, you're not just affecting your own stress levels – you're impacting your entire team's morale and productivity.

This isn't another course where we'll tell you to "use I statements" and hope for the best. We're going to dig into the real stuff that happens when emotions run high, when people get defensive, and when you're dealing with someone who seems determined to make everything as difficult as possible. You'll learn how to read the room before things explode, how to stay calm when someone's having a meltdown, and most importantly, how to have these conversations without losing sleep the night before.

We'll cover the conversations that keep managers awake at night: telling someone they're not getting promoted, addressing poor hygiene, dealing with that person who takes credit for everyone else's work, and yes, even those awkward situations where personal issues are affecting work performance. You'll get practical scripts that actually work, strategies for when things go sideways, and techniques for following up without creating more drama.

The reality is that emotional intelligence plays a huge role in these situations, and knowing how to manage your own stress response is just as important as knowing what to say. We'll show you how to recognise when you're about to lose your cool, how to de-escalate tension before it becomes a full-blown argument, and how to maintain professional relationships even after having tough conversations.

What You'll Learn

How to prepare for difficult conversations so you feel confident instead of terrified
Techniques to stay calm and focused when the other person gets emotional or defensive
Scripts and phrases that work for common workplace scenarios like performance issues, behaviour problems, and team conflicts
How to read body language and verbal cues so you can adjust your approach in real-time
Strategies for when conversations go completely off the rails and you need to regain control
Methods to follow up after difficult conversations to ensure lasting change
How to document these conversations properly to protect yourself and your organisation
Ways to rebuild working relationships after addressing problems

The Bottom Line

Most workplace problems don't resolve themselves – they just get worse and more expensive to fix. After this training, you'll have the confidence and skills to address issues before they become major headaches. You'll sleep better knowing you can handle whatever workplace drama comes your way, and your team will respect you more for being direct and fair. Plus, you'll discover that most difficult conversations aren't actually as terrible as we build them up to be in our heads. The stress management techniques alone will be worth the investment – both for your sanity and your career progression.