Handling Difficult Conversations

Overview

This event provides staff with leadership and/or people/project management responsibilities, whether academic or support, the opportunity to develop and enhance their capability and confidence in handling difficult conversations.  Difficult conversations can take many forms whether it is feeding back about someone’s behaviour, or handling performance issues.  This event will provide participants with the capacity to handle a range of difficult conversations and maintain effective working relationships.                   

Aims and objectives

The event will enable participants to work on a range of difficult conversations that they are likely to face in their role. By the end of the event participants will have:

• Reviewed the different approaches for handling challenging/difficult behaviour and those that involve performance;

• Discuss and assessed challenging/difficult behaviour;

• Developed  the core skills needed for leading difficult conversations;

• Reviewed how to handle conflict and developed personal strategies;

• Explored how to prepare for meetings and plan for positive resolutions;

• Developed approaches for maintaining and supporting others' progress; and

• Prepare personal action plans.       

The facilitators

The events will be led by Diane Hodgson, an external expert with many years’ experience working with universities, and Neil O’Connor, Head of Learning and Organisational Development.     

Dates

Thursday 9 February 2012

Thursday 7 June 2012