About

Conversations are part and parcel of everyday living, but there is a lot more to them in work situations. Quite often, we know what we should do in a situation. But knowing how to conduct the conversation can be tricky and challenging.

Recent research of organisations that were performing well found that one important element of performance success was the giving of fair, accurate, informal feedback.

Effective Performance Conversation helps you address performance issues, improve relationships, save time and effort whilst gaining more confidence in conversation delivery. A hands-on and practical course, you will explore the reasons why some conversations are difficult to initiate and how to turn these challenging conversations into productive interactions.

Key Learning Outcomes

•    Be able to confidently approach difficult performance conversations
•    Learn to deliver tough performance feedback
•    Apply positive and corrective feedback mechanisms to formal and informal conversations
•    Effectively address sensitive issues at the workplace
•    Prepare for a confrontational conversation


Outline

Master the 6Rs of performance conversations
•    Learn the core principles that should be applied to any performance conversation
•    Discover why applying these is more likely to maintain a good working relationship
•    Use these to feel more comfortable about having a tough performance conversation and why they help to prevent conflict occurring

Giving positive feedback
•    Understand the research behind giving effective positive feedback that reinforces and drives behaviour you want more of
•    Use a simple tool to make sure feedback is effective
•    Understand and apply the difference between feedback and critique

Giving improvement feedback
•    Establish clarity, objectives  and expectations
•    Apply the key communications tools that allow you to stay in control of the conversation whilst building rapport
•    Understand how to use a coaching conversation to drive performance improvement
•    Understand the techniques that drive ownership, accountability and gain agreement
•    Learn how to manage particular behaviours that can derail giving improvement feedback
•    Assess your conversational style preferences and learn how to flex them for maximium effect

The conflict conversation
•    Learn how to prevent a conflict conversation occurring
•    Understand the difference between ‘conflict’ and healthy debate
•    Managing resistance, push back and defensiveness
•    Understand the difference between avoidance, aggression and assertion
•    Applying understanding of the brain, understand why confrontation is the  
   weakest link in performance excellence
•    Manoeuvre out of fuzzy and inconclusive confrontation conversation



Facilitator

Penny Holden

Penny Holden has over 18 years in the field of learning and development as trainer, leader, manager, coach and programme designer. Operating in New Zealand, the UK and Australia, Penny has the enviable position of having trained in all sectors (private, government, corporate, NGOs) and across most industries. She brings this in-depth knowledge and experience to offer insightful, rigorous and highly practical and motivating training.

Her training programmes are packed with practical ideas, tools, up-to-date information and strategies for success. She actively works with participants to make training as individual and valuable as possible, ensuring a return on investment. Programme expertise includes leadership and management training, and developing people capability and organisational effectiveness at all levels.

Penny Holden is also facilitating:

• Advanced Train the Trainer
• Change Management for Managers in Times of Restructuring & Redundancies
• Communicating with Diplomacy, Influence and Credibility
• Dealing with Difficult People for EAs & PAs
• Development and Training Needs Assessment
• Facilitation Skills
• Internal Consulting Skills
• Tackling Challenging Conversations for EAs & PAs
• Tackling Challenging Conversations for Team Leaders & New Managers
• Team Leaders & Supervisors Masterclass
• The Influential Leader
• Train the Trainer

In-house Training