Andrea James Jasmine Gartner

In a Nutshell:Difficult

Conversationsabout Change

Who are we?

Jasmine GartnerTrainer & WriterEmployee Engagement, Inclusion & Unconscious Bias

Andrea JamesConsultant & TrainerDecision-Making

Here’s what we’ll do today…

We’ll be discussing selected articles for the next half hour… … and we’ll finish with a few tips

Then we’ll be around to answer your questions

We’ll be sending you a recording at the end and you can download the slides

QuestionsYou’ll see questions pop up throughout this webinar – we’d love to hear what you think!

Use the chat box on right-hand side of your screen to respond to our questions.

And also feel free to ask questions or make comments at any point.

Discussion Point 1Why are difficult conversations

difficult?

What do you think makes difficult conversations

difficult?Enter your thoughts in the chat box.

Almost half of UK employees want a career

change…“The majority of the UK workforce suffered through a period of great

uncertainty around the job market and considered themselves lucky to have a

job, let alone a job they loved”CIPD

What does ‘difficult’ mean?

“There are no ‘difficult’ conflicts. There are only

conflicts you don't know how to resolve.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fred-kofman/how-to-collaborate-throug_b_8134910.html

A Checklist for Creating Difficult Conversations

☑ Deny☑ Avoid☑ Surrender (but not really)☑ Dominate☑ Get an authority figure on your side☑ Get other people to take your side☑ Compromise

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fred-kofman/how-to-collaborate-throug_b_8134910.html

A Checklist for Constructive Conversations☑ Consensual decision-

making☑ Express your needs☑ Understand the needs of others☑ Identify your values☑ Consider the values of others☑ Focus on relationship-building☑ Cooperate

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fred-kofman/how-to-collaborate-throug_b_8134910.html

The reckoning

The rumble

The revolution

Discussion Point 2

What should managers and staff

be talking about during change?

http://www.bytestart.co.uk/fire-employee-get-thanked.html

Can You Fire Someone… & Get Thanked For it?

If the assumption is that it’s a difficult conversation, business owners often just work around someone who’s performing poorly

http://www.bytestart.co.uk/fire-employee-get-thanked.html

Can You Fire Someone…

& Get Thanked For it?Challenge your assumptions• See feedback as generous• Focus on the key change• Be ready for an emotional

reaction – and weather it

Have you been fired –

and felt relieved?Tell us about it in the chat box.

http://www.businessperform.com/articles/workplace-communication/failure-communicate.html

The Sources of Conflict

Squaring the Horns of the Dilemma• Skill deficiency• Different interests• Stress• Lack of resources• Personality clash

Dilemma Theory

You’re in a car with a friend.

Your friend is driving…

http://www.strategy-business.com/article/17251?gko=444c1

Discussion Point 3Technology – helpful?

Or not?

My Life as a Robot

http://www.wired.com/2015/09/my-life-as-a-robot-double-robotics-telecommuting-longread/

That’s it for articles!

It’s time for your questions and comments

Use the Chatbox at the side

Learning Points

Learning Points• Reflect and be aware of your own unconscious

rationalisations (what stories do you tell yourself about how you got from point a to point b?)

• Being uncomfortable and awkward is hard; but it’s important to explore the reasons for those feelings and work through those, rather than just ignoring the bad feelings

• The goal is to separate the feelings of discomfort from the back stories we tell about those feelings

Next StepsJoin us for our webinar next month.

Do you live in or near London?

Join us for our next live workshop on overcoming gender bias for everyone.

If you liked this webinar…

Jasmine’s workshops on: • Employee Engagement• Diversity & Inclusion

Andrea’s workshops on: • Decisions & Productivity• Decision-making in teams

FREE 45-minute no-obligation decision-coaching session

jasminegartner@gmail.comwww.twitter.com/jasminegartnerhttps://uk.linkedin.com/in/jasminegartner0790 355 2414

andrea.james@quintessentialconsulting.co.ukwww.twitter.com/Decisions_Made_https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaqjames0203 289 666107796 936 661

Extra Articles & Videos

• Performance Appraisals – do they do any good?• Taking the Stress Out• When Key Cmployees Clash• Cool Hand Luke• Constructive Collaboration & Destructive Conflict• Checklist to pre-think before the conversation• Changing Behaviour• The dangers of framing things as” difficult”• 9 Common Mistakes• Collaborate through Conflict• Dilemma Theory

Some of these were shared in the run up to the webinar and others we didn’t have the time to discuss but we thought you might find interesting