Conquering Crucial Conversations

The art and science of leaning into and leading difficult conversations

The Problem

It is rare to find someone comfortable with, and skilled at, having difficult conversations.

Dr David Rock's NeuroLeadership Institute studied performance conversations at work. The leaders who initiated the conversations rated them 'high quality' around 50% of the time. The people on the receiving end put the figure at just 5%. That is an alarming gap in perception!

The Insight

The rare few who master this skill can perform when the stakes are highest, turning precarious situations into stronger relationships and better outcomes. It comes down to understanding the brain and the emotions, then planning the conversation with this in mind. This is how you Conquer Crucial Conversations.

The Program

In this program leaders gain a better understanding of the subtle dynamics in difficult conversations and how to navigate them in a very practical way. Michelle Rushton and Shaun Kenny, founders of People of Influence, translate neuroscience into practical, repeatable technique.

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Difficult or quality?

The same conversation can go one of two ways. The difference is not courage or personality, it is whether it was planned with the brain in mind.

“Leadership really happens just one conversation at a time.”

Key Outcomes

What your leaders walk away with

01
Know what great looks like
Leaders understand what a quality conversation looks like, and the self-awareness gap most leaders never see.
02
See where they stand today
Leaders confront the gap between how their conversations actually land and how they think they land.
03
Strategies they can use immediately
A seven-step neuroscience model, the Three Stories Technique and language that primes the right mindset, ready for the very next conversation.
04
Practise the skill for real
Leaders rehearse a real, current conversation with a peer, with feedback, before it counts.
05
A toolkit and an action plan
Each participant receives a Takeaway Toolkit, plus a plan for the conversation they have been avoiding.
06
Nudges that reinforce over time
Behavioural nudges that reinforce the habit long after the session.
Session Flow

How the session unfolds

Delivered as a half day or full day or series of modules. Timings and emphasis tailored to your group.

1
What great looks like
The neuroscience and psychology of a quality conversation, and the self-awareness gap most leaders never see.
2
Preparing for the conversation
A seven component neuroscience model that helps you plan a conversation that is less P.A.I.N.F.U.L. and avoids a defensive response.
3
Opening the conversation
Informed by the neuroscience and psychology, the Three Stories Technique helps us craft a conversational opening that makes the conversation feel collaborative rather than adversarial.
4
Navigating the conversation
Techniques to progress the conversation to a mutually agreeable end state, to de-escalate our own emotions, de-escalate the other person's emotions, manage objections with L.A.E.R. and keep the conversation on track.
5
Practise
Each leader rehearses a real, current conversation with a peer and receives feedback. Before the session we work with the client to create a number of relevant, client-specific scenarios of difficult conversations. The scenarios are crafted with detail for the initiator of the conversation, the receiver and the observer/coach.
6
Make it real
Each leader commits to the conversation they have been avoiding, and how they will approach it.
7
Embedding
Over the following weeks to months: behavioural nudges, facilitated peer group coaching, individual coaching - a range of options depending on the engagement.
Format & Delivery

Shaped around your context

Duration
Half day, full day or a series of modules
Delivery
In person or virtual
Audience
Leaders, managers and professionals at any level
Two ways to work with us

People of Influence is the consultancy through which Michelle Rushton and Shaun Kenny deliver leadership programs, team offsites and impactful conferences.

Contact People of Influence →

Leadership Engine is our proprietary platform for measuring and improving leadership effectiveness with diagnostics, dashboards and behavioural nudges.

Visit Leadership Engine →