Manager's Guide to Difficult Conversations

Name: Manager's Guide to Difficult Conversations
Rating: 4.3 (4576 reviews)

Communication Techniques & Scripts for Handling Difficult Conversations, Conflict Management & Managing Emotions

Created byJoeel & Natalie of Transformation Services, Transformation Services

Last updated 6/2026

English

What you'll learn

Overcome resistance to difficult conversations and feel confident and well-prepared
Know what to say and how to approach difficult topics with minimal conflict or discomfort
Use proven communication techniques that ease tensions, open communication, and build relationships
Save your team and organization from the long-term consequences of avoiding critical issues
Plan your approach and choose the right timing, location, and how to begin the conversation
Understand how to manage emotions before and during the conversation
Develop your manager’s superpower—listening!

Course content

5 sections • 28 lectures • 1h 39m total length

Introduction3:05
Welcome, it is great to have you with us. In this lecture we will go over what you will get out of the course and share who we are.
What are Difficult Conversations and Why Do We Avoid Them?4:28
In this lecture we will go over common difficult conversations that may be needed. We will also address how it's normal to feel apprehensive and why we avoid this conversations.
Exercise: Difficult Conversations and Why We Avoid Them1:22
Consequences of Avoiding Difficult Conversations5:22
Avoiding difficult conversation can be more costly and have bigger consequences than we we imagine. In this lecture we will go over the cost of not having these conversations and not addressing issues in a timely and proper way. Some of the things that we will look at is resentment, resistance, retaliation, and eroding of respect that is created when we avoid the conversations.
Exercise: The Cost of Not Having Difficult Conversations1:39
Questions, Resources and Meet the Instructors0:41

Preparing Yourself First4:47
Preparing yourself is essential for a productive conversation. In this lecture we will go over re-framing your perspective, handling your emotions, to script or not to script, preparing the facts so that you can better be prepared to deal with the difficult conversation.
Exercise: Preparing Yourself1:24
Defining Desired Outcomes4:36
In this lecture we will go over defining your desired outcome. Before you discuss anything you have to become clear about the true nature of the problem, and your objective. You may also look at how to preserve the relationship and be able to assess your true intent.
Exercise: Defining the Desired Outcome2:16
Timing and Location6:26
In this lecture we will go over timing and location. We will go over things to consider regarding the timing of conversations, such as the level of immediacy, emotional states, and other conflicts, as well as considerations regarding location and privacy.
Exercise: The Importance of Timing and Location1:49

Beginning the Conversation4:43
One of the biggest challenges of having a difficult conversation is actually starting it. In this lecture we will go over choosing your approach, how to be upfront, and we will also provide scripts for approaching the conversation.
Exercise: Beginning the Conversation2:17
Managing Emotions: Prepare5:39
In this lecture we will go over how to prepare yourself to manage emotions before going into a difficult discussion.
Exercise: Managing Emotions: Being Prepared2:26
Managing Emotions: During Conversations5:49
In this lecture we will go over strategies for handling emotions during the conversation including being aware of warning signs, avoiding triggers, and redirecting.
Exercise: Managing Emotions During the Conversation3:13
Example Scenarios5:11
In this lecture we will explore case studies of several scenarios in which managers had to address difficult conversations and how they handled it.

Communication Mistakes to Avoid5:13
In this lecture we will go over communication mistakes to avoid. We will go over the impact of trying to be right, impact of no "my way or the highway" attitudes, the proper use of written communication, why you should not rush the conversation, why you should not fill silence, and trigger words to avoid.
Exercise: Communication Mistakes to Avoid2:33
Effective Communication Techniques4:35
In this statement we will go over techniques that will help you be a more effective communicator. We will go over the power of "I" statements, the "feel good sandwich", and XYZ "What, When, How" statements.
Exercise: Effective Communication Techniques1:59
Effective Listening4:54
In this lecture we will share the importance and how to be an effective listener. We will also give you the 3 step method for effective listening, and strategies for paraphrasing to increase help you increase understanding.
Exercise: Effective Listening3:09

Tips for Avoiding Future Difficult Conversations3:34
In this lecture we want to leave you with some bonus tips to help you in difficult conversations. We will go over consistency, developing trust, importance of follow-up, giving back, reflecting, and how to handle more extreme situation.
Conclusion and What's Next1:24
Congratulations, you did it! We thank you for your commitment to your personal growth and acquiring the skills that will help you be a better leader in your organization. In this lecture we will share what your next steps are in this journey.
Bonus: Additional Resources You Don't want to Miss4:41

Requirements

The ability to print course materials

Description

We all have those conversations we keep putting off. Those times when we know we should talk to someone, but we don’t.

And then there are those conversations we HAVE to have as leaders, such as:

Addressing behavioral issues
Discussing promotions that aren’t coming
Mediating conflicts
Or worse, laying someone off

It’s understandable if you resist these conversations. Maybe you’ve tried approaching an individual in the past and it went badly. Or maybe you fear that talking about a problem will only make the situation worse.

Having difficult conversations is never easy, whether they're with co-workers, staff or subordinates. The problem is that avoiding difficult conversations has detrimental consequences. And, approaching difficult conversations without clear goals and effective communication strategies can make matters even worse by eroding trust and damaging relationships.

Whether you’re the CEO, manager, supervisor, team lead, or you work in human resources, it is your responsibility to be the example for how to approach difficult conversations.

The good news is that there are PROVEN TOOLS AND STRATEGIES for handling these situations. Plus, when you prove that you can handle difficult situations with ease and grace it will earn you respect, trust, and adoration from those you work with, improving your relationships as well as the overall atmosphere and productivity of your organization.

In this course we’ll help you:

Develop a better understanding of why certain conversations are so challenging, why you avoid them, and what consequences you face by not mastering this skill.
Overcome fear of confrontation, not knowing what to say, or, ultimately, failure, and develop confidence that you can handle difficult conversations with minimal discomfort.
Take responsibility for the success of these situations by preparing in advance and focusing on the desired outcomes.
Understand and manage emotions before and during the conversation to avoid escalation.
Utilize proven techniques for effective communication, listening, and approaching the conversation.

So, are you ready to transform your relationship with your employees? If so enroll now, we look forward to seeing you in the course!

Guarantee: We know you will love this course. However, we offer a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee if the course does not meet your needs for any reason.

So who are we?

We are Joeel & Natalie Rivera, serial entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and educators. We have over a decade of experience in the field of psychology and life coaching and our greatest passion is empowering others to live life on their terms, fulfill their potential, and embrace their greater purpose. All of our programs are designed based on our experience in coaching, social services, psychology, and education, as well Joeel’s Masters Degree in Counseling and research on happiness for his dissertation for a PhD in psychology. We have over 800,000+ students from 200 countries.

Who this course is for:

Leaders, managers or human resources professionals who want to address difficult conversations professionally
Anyone who wants to handle challenging issues in the work place in a way that avoids conflict

Manager's Guide to Difficult Conversations

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction6 lectures • 17min

Taking Responsibility6 lectures • 21min

Facilitating the Conversation7 lectures • 29min

Communication Strategies6 lectures • 22min

Wrap-Up and Next Steps3 lectures • 10min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: