Bitesize training courses → Management & leadership → Managing difficult conversations
Training course:
Managing difficult conversations
Two hours • In-person or remote • 4-15 participants
Rated 4.7/5 ★★★★★ from 117 recent reviews
Managing difficult conversations training
Give your managers the confidence and tools to handle sensitive conversations with clarity, empathy and impact.
Avoiding a tough conversation rarely makes the problem go away. It usually gets bigger, morale dips, and performance suffers.
This practical session gives your people a simple, repeatable approach to plan, hold and follow up difficult conversations so that issues are resolved and relationships stay intact.
By the end, your managers will feel calmer, clearer and better prepared for real conversations at work to create a happy, productive environment.
Perfect for
Managers and team leads who need to tackle performance issues, behaviour concerns or tricky one-to-ones without damaging trust.
Key details
this bitesize training course is two hours long and full of thoughtful techniques to approach thorny issues
designed for groups of 4 – 15
delivered by an expert trainer at your workplace, or virtually
interactive, with plenty of exercises that get people talking
customisable, to connect with your organisation’s values
💡Pairing suggestion: for employees that aren’t managers, the Giving & Receiving Feedback training course is designed to encourage open-minded listening, confident questioning and a constructive approach to solving problems collaboratively.
Who this course is for
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New and experienced managers who need to address performance, behaviour or conduct concerns
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Team leads who want to build confidence in day-to-day line management
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HR and people leaders who coach managers through tricky conversations
Course content
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
Recognise what makes a conversation feel difficult and how to manage their own emotions
Use a supportive framework to structure a difficult conversation
Listen actively and respond well when emotions run high
Ask questions that uncover root causes and commitment to change
Define the purpose and intention of the conversation
Handle the emotional responses which might occur with empathy
Gain commitment to action and put in place follow-up processes
Core topics covered
Getting ready
Setting purpose, separating facts from stories, planning a fair opening, choosing the right time and place.
Holding the conversation
A framework to keep the discussion constructive. Techniques for empathy, assertiveness and de-escalation.
Practice
Short role-play scenarios tailored to your context with coaching and feedback from an expert trainer.
Agreeing action
Securing clear next steps, documenting outcomes, and setting up a follow-up that sticks.
Frequently asked questions
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Yes. We focus on the essential mindset, structure and phrases that managers can use immediately. For teams who want more practice, we can add coaching clinics or combine with complementary sessions.
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Absolutely. We adapt scenarios, terminology and policy references to your context. If you have particular themes or cases you want to explore, we will build them into the practice in a sensitive way.
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Practice is supportive and realistic. People can opt in to role play and will always receive coaching and feedback in a safe environment.
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Each attendee gets concise course notes, a conflict resolution framework and a post session action checklist to support transfer to the workplace.
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This course is designed for in-house groups. If you have a smaller group, speak to us about any future open courses by getting in touch here.
Course Delivery
Our management training courses are designed to be short, powerful, and easy to fit into busy schedules.
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2 hours, packed with high-impact learning
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Delivered in-person anywhere in the world, or virtually for remote teams
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Best for 4–15 participants to maximise engagement
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Live, interactive, discussion-based with no long lectures or death by powerpoint
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All our courses can be tailored to your organisation’s values, culture, and goals.
Looking for a deeper dive or a programme for a larger population?
We can combine this session with conflict resolution, feedback skills or performance conversations to build a focused pathway for managers
Provide useful difficult conversation training for your managers.
Pair this with
Conflict resolution training
for root cause tools and mediation techniques
Performance management
for setting expectations and follow up
Giving and receiving feedback
for everyday habits that keep work on track
Outcomes you can expect
Organisations choose this course to help managers:
Address issues earlier and prevent escalation
Reduce time spent firefighting the same problems
Increase fairness and consistency in how conversations are handled
Protect relationships while improving performance
💡Ask about a connected pathway for first time managers that covers the essentials. We’ll help you shape a high impact sequence that fits your calendar.
‘Managing difficult conversations’ training course reviews
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"The training was varied and related to the work we do. It supported my confidence in recognising my own conversation styles as well as how to approach and conduct difficult conversations."
★★★★★
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"I liked that the training wasn’t just buzzwords, but put real scenarios and real situations into practice and explained how to deal with them."
★★★★★
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"The content felt very specific to our group: the trainer adapted the material to suit our knowledge and interest base, which was fantastic! It was very interesting to learn about different traits of people and how to approach. I learnt a lot about myself, too."
★★★★★
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"The presentation style was excellent, delivered at the right pace and very interactive with great exercises. It was obvious that our needs had been well researched so the content was very relevant and applicable to our situation."
★★★★★
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"It was fun to be able to watch something – then having to immediately apply it and think about how to approach the situation."
★★★★★
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“The pace was just right, with a good mix of theory and real life examples. Paul was happy to answer any questions as they came up!"
★★★★★
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"A brilliant interactive training session. Really useful suggestions on how to handle myself and a potentially difficult situation."
★★★★★
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"This session was really good at breaking things down and helping us structure our messages appropriately."
★★★★★
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"Our trainer was brilliant! He delivered the session in a way that everyone understood it and could take things away from it. Paul had so much knowledge and there was not a question that he couldn't provide an answer too. Really enjoyed this session and would highly recommend my colleagues take part, too."
★★★★★
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"One thing which I really liked was the role play which we did at the end of the season. It helped me figure out how to handle a difficult situation!"
★★★★★
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"It sparked thoughts and conversations about things we wouldn't normally discuss."
★★★★★
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"I really enjoyed this, I found it very helpful and informative. Our trainer was great and kept the group very engaged. I haven't got too much experience in difficult conversations and it's something that feels me with dread but after this course I actually would like to put what I have learned into action."
★★★★★
Why book this bitesize training course?
⏱ Deal with issues early
People can’t adjust their approach or improve their performance if they don’t know something’s wrong.
When managers delay addressing problems, the consequences either drag on indefinitely, or appear to suddenly reach a crisis point when the situation may already beyond rescue. This course empowers managers to make confident, tactful interventions on an ongoing basis before things escalate.
🤝 Candour, not conflict
Everyone deserves the benefit of honest feedback, and this this course explores how to frame these conversations (however initially difficult!) as a well-intended offering.
At the same time, we recognise the varying initial emotional responses that critique can provoke, and provide some mental tools on responding to them.
Training made easy, the Bitesize way •
Training made easy, the Bitesize way •
All killer, no filler: our training sessions are crammed with high-value insights, and perfect for busy teams.
Live & interactive: real change doesn’t come from half-heartedly skimming through e-learning. We believe in bringing people together, to deliver memorable, engaging training experiences with learning that sticks.
Expert-led: all our training courses are designed + delivered by experienced specialists in L&D, HR and leadership coaching.
