DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS (1:1)

Say what needs to be said — without losing control or damaging trust.

You already know the conversation needs to happen.

You know that postponing it is making the situation worse.

What stops most senior professionals isn’t fear of conflict —
it’s fear of losing control of the moment.

• Saying too much.
• Saying too little.
• Triggering defensiveness.
• Being drawn into emotion.
• Damaging a relationship that still matters.

Difficult Conversations is a private 1:1 executive-level coaching intervention designed to help you take control of those moments — calmly, precisely, and with authority.

This is not generic communication training.

It is applied, confidential work on the real situations you are facing right now.

WHO THIS IS FOR

This programme is designed for experienced professionals who:

• avoid or delay high-stakes conversations
• soften messages until they lose impact
• rehearse conversations endlessly but still feel uncertain
• struggle when emotions rise or resistance appears
• need to confront underperformance, behaviour, or conflict
• want clarity without confrontation
• are accountable for people, teams, or outcomes

Many participants are senior managers, directors, technical leaders, or project heads who are excellent at their job — but find certain conversations drain energy, create anxiety, or spiral unpredictably.

This work is not about becoming more aggressive.

It is about becoming more controlled.

WHAT I WORK ON

Across six intensive 1:1 sessions, I focus on the mechanics of difficult conversations — what to say, when to say it, how to respond when things shift, and how to leave the room having achieved something concrete.

You will work on:

▶ Structuring High-Stakes Conversations

How to open firmly and professionally.
How to frame the issue without triggering defensiveness.
How to separate facts, impact, and expectations.
How to avoid rambling or over-explaining.

▶ Holding Authority Under Emotional Pressure

How to stay composed when someone becomes emotional, defensive, hostile, or withdrawn.
How to slow the conversation without losing momentum.
How to respond when challenged or contradicted.
How to stop conversations derailing into side-arguments.

▶ Directness Without Aggression

How to be explicit about behaviour and consequences while remaining calm.
How to remove ambiguity from your message.
How to hold your ground without escalating.
How to say “no,” “this isn’t acceptable,” or “this has to change” professionally.

▶ Managing Pushback and Resistance

How to handle denial, blame-shifting, or excuses.
How to redirect circular conversations.
How to surface the real issue beneath the surface argument.
How to regain control if you feel the conversation slipping away.

▶ Ending With Resolution

How to close with clear commitments and next steps.
How to document outcomes.
How to protect working relationships after tough exchanges.
How to follow up without reopening the conflict.

HOW THE COACHING WORKS

Every session is built around your real situations — not hypothetical cases.

Before each meeting, you bring:

• a conversation you are avoiding
• an upcoming performance discussion
• a conflict with a colleague or stakeholder
• a sensitive feedback issue
• a boundary you need to set
• a decision you must communicate

In the session we:

• map the power dynamics
• analyse personalities and likely reactions
• design your exact opening lines
• stress-test your responses
• rehearse critical moments
• refine language for precision and authority
• build fallback strategies if things escalate

You leave each session with:

✔ a clear conversation plan
✔ specific phrases you can use
✔ a structure to follow
✔ options for different reactions
✔ renewed confidence about the meeting ahead

This is closer to strategic rehearsal than classroom training.

FORMAT

• 6 × 75-minute private coaching sessions
• Delivered over 2–4 weeks
• Fully confidential
• Online or in-person (where available)
• Tailored entirely to your current professional challenges
• Suitable for senior leaders and sensitive organisational contexts

THE RESULT

By the end of the programme, clients typically report that they:

• stop avoiding difficult conversations
• prepare more quickly and more effectively
• speak clearly even when challenged
• handle emotional reactions calmly
• regain control when discussions become tense
• protect relationships through clarity
• feel credible, measured, and authoritative
• leave meetings knowing exactly what was agreed

You stop carrying unresolved conversations around in your head.

You stop replaying them afterwards.

You walk into them prepared.

TYPICAL SITUATIONS WE COVER

Clients often use this programme to work on:

• confronting sustained underperformance
• addressing problematic behaviour
• delivering unwelcome decisions
• managing conflict between colleagues
• resetting expectations with senior stakeholders
• pushing back on unrealistic demands
• handling politically sensitive issues
• repairing strained working relationships

NEXT STEP

If you are carrying a conversation you keep postponing, it is already costing you — in time, focus, credibility, and stress.

This programme is designed to resolve those situations quickly and professionally.

Apply for a confidential consultation to discuss whether this 1:1 intervention is right for you.

AUTHORITY RESET (1:1)

For senior professionals whose competence doesn’t always sound like authority.

Authority Reset is a short, private 1:1 intervention for leaders who:

soften decisions
over-explain
get interrupted or talked over
sound less senior than their role requires

This work focuses on language under pressure — how you speak in meetings, negotiations, and moments where authority must land calmly and clearly.

ONLY 2 PLACES AVAILABLE!!