Leadership Development
Managing Challenging Conversations
Have the conversations that need to be had, with confidence, skill and a coaching approach.
As leaders, we all find some conversations more challenging than others and the ability to initiate and manage these conversations is key to effective leadership.
This might depend on the topic, who the conversation is with and the context of the conversation.
About
With an emphasis on managing challenging conversations, this course is designed for leaders and managers who want to enhance their confidence, skills, and understanding to engage in these conversations in ways that maintain high expectations alongside constructive relationships.
Success in managing challenging conversations is based on three broad features:
- How we listen and respond
- How we lead and manage the conversation
- How we show up in the conversation
As leaders in the field of coaching in education, we know many of the skills and techniques, and the way of being, associated with coaching can help us to manage these conversations well, what we call ‘bringing a coaching approach’. If we truly want to raise awareness, encourage responsibility and build the capacity of others then a coaching approach to managing challenging conversations is one way to achieve this.
In this course you will
Through a combination of theory, guided reflection, modelling, practice and feedback:
- Increase your confidence to engage in challenging conversations
- Enhance your skills and the application of frameworks to manage challenging conversations
- Gain first-hand experience of taking a ‘coaching approach’ to challenging conversations
- Develop a deeper understanding of what makes some conversations challenging or difficult
- Build your knowledge of some theories that explain our responses to challenging conversations
- Enhance your self-awareness about how you ‘show-up’ and respond in challenging conversations
What you will gain
The confidence to initiate and lead challenging conversations without avoiding or escalating them
A coaching approach to managing difficult interactions that maintains relationships while raising expectations
Deeper self-awareness about how you show up, and how to adapt, in high-stakes conversations
Practical frameworks and strategies applicable to a wide range of challenging conversational contexts
Structure
Session 1: Make sense of challenging conversations
- What makes (some) conversations challenging?
- What are we managing in these conversations?
- What are the different factors that influence these conversations?
Session 2: Exploring scenarios and practising
- Where the more challenging conversations sit on the continuum of conversations in education settings?
- How can we better manage challenging conversations?
- What are some ‘3rd points’ in conversations and how can they support feedback and understanding?
- How does leader language positively impact conversations?
Session 3: Going deeper
- What are the ‘triggers’ that impact on how we receive and respond to feedback?
- How does positional power influence challenging conversations?
- What are the key skills that help us to manage challenging conversations with confidence?
- What are some steps for success in managing challenging conversations?
Learning design
At GCI, we believe that we act our way into learning rather than learn our way into acting.
Research-informed, Practitioner-focused
With this principle in mind, all of our courses have a strong emphasis on practice.
A Learning Design to Enable Praxis
When we are engaged in praxis we are reflecting in action, taking what we are learning and applying it in real-life situations. Our in-person and online courses enable praxis through a ‘coaching approach’ to facilitation combined with a range of thoughtfully designed adult learning experiences including:
individual and group reflection activities
co-operative learning tasks
practice opportunities using real workplace scenarios
modelling
observation and feedback
debrief sessions
Flexible Modes of Delivery
The Managing Challenging Conversations course is available in a range of delivery patterns:
- One full-day (in-person or online)
- Three 2-hour workshops spaced over a number of days or weeks (online only)
From participants on this course
What participants say
would recommend this course
rated the course content Very Good or Excellent
Where participants plan to use their learning
Develop leadership ability and support others81.6%
Improve communication with parents, community and peers69.8%
Improve professional practice and colleagues’ practice67.1%
Based on GCI Managing Challenging Conversations post-course surveys, 2024 to 2026. Percentages reflect valid responses to each question; multiple selections were allowed where applicable.
In their words
Our facilitators
As a coaching organisation, we endeavour to model a ‘coaching way of being’ in our interactions with our clients by being:
- Respectful
- Humble
- Curious
- Strengths-focused
- Reflective
We encourage a culture of high expectations through our commitment to the ongoing development of our people based on mutual respect and collaboration. Our consultants are expert coach practitioners who draw on a wealth of educational experience to provide the highest level of service as coaches and trainers.
Fees and what is included
This price is for an individual registering on an open-enrolment course.
Savings are available for organisations who wish to run this course for an in-house group.
Please email info@growthcoaching.com.au to request a quote or discuss this further.
Dates and pricing
Australian prices exclude GST.
Running this course for your own group
Register your interest
If you would like to explore offering this course to your own group, or would like to be notified when new dates are announced, please complete the form below. A member of the GCI team will be in touch.
