c

Challenging Conversations

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By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Identify and explain how to handle challenging conversations

• Evaluate the legislations that need to be considered when handling challenging conversations

• Analyse the techniques that can be used to help manage challenging conversations

Learning Outcomes

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• You may need to hold challenging conversations in the workplace

1. Make a list or discuss the reasons why you may have to have a challenging conversation

2. Discuss and feedback your responses

Starter Activity

5

Activity

• See if the reasons

discussed, match up

to those listed within

the typical challenging

conversations activity

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• Before you carry out any challenging conversations, you need to consider the following legislations:

• The Equality Act (2010)

• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

• Consumer Rights

Why?

Preparing for Challenging Conversations

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The Equality Act defines a set of ‘protected characteristics’, and to discriminate against any person because of one or more of these characteristics is against the law. Protected characteristics include:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender reassignment

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race

• Religion

• Gender

• Sexual orientation

The Equality Act 2010

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1. In pairs, small groups – create

at least three scenarios where

the Equality Act, may need to

be considered when

preparing for a challenging

conversation?

2. Once you have created the

scenarios, explain what you

would do to ensure no

protected characteristic is

discriminated against

3. Discuss

Activity

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1. What is GDPR?

2. How can it impact

your organisation?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

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• It is important to be aware that privacy compliance under the GDPR is not just about customer data. Respecting the privacy of your employees and protecting their personal information is equally important

• Companies can be fined €20 million or 4% of the company’s global annual turnover of the previous financial year, whichever is higher, for a GDPR breach

• Currently, many companies rely on employees’ consent to process their personal data and short consents are often included in the employment contract. However, under the GDPR, for consents to be valid it must be freely-given, specific, informed and revocable

• If you are involved in a disciplinary or grievance, employees have to give consent to share their information if it includes personal data. If consent is not agreed, you are in breach of the GDPR law!

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

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Once you have prepared for the discussion. You need to ensure you consider the following techniques:

1. Having the right environment

2. Using effective communication methods and styles

3. Using a range of question techniques and active listening skills

4. Using emotional intelligence

Complete the techniques for managing challenging conversations activity

Techniques for Managing Challenging Conversations

Title

Right Environment• Quiet – away from other people,

distractions and excessive noise

• Private – so that confidentiality is not

breached

• General accessibility to the building – e.g.

ramps, lifts and wide doors

• Assistance for people with hearing or sight

difficulties

Effective Communication Methods• Having an open and non-confrontational

posture

• Speak clearly and slowly enough for

everyone to understand

• Keep their message simple and

straightforward

• Use language that is appropriate for the

listener

• Being polite, courteous, patient, apologetic

and confident – to inspire trust

Questioning Techniques • Listening more than they speak – using

active listening skills

• Using a calm, polite, respectful but

confident tone of voice

• Using open, closed and rhetorical questions

– maybe with probing questions if more

detail is required

Emotional Intelligence• Step into their shoes’, understand their

viewpoint and take appropriate measures

to achieve the objectives of the

conversation.

• This skill of using empathy and

understanding can be extremely useful. It

helps us to amend our approach, diffuse

problems and use the listening, speaking

and questioning techniques that will be

most effective

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• In pairs read the scenarios on

managing challenging

conversations and consider the

following:

1. Legislations that need to be

considered

2. Techniques for managing the

conversation

Activity

14

• Difficult conversations can also come from challenging customers.

• Make a list of when you may have a difficult conversation with a customer at your own organisation?

Difficult Conversations - Customers

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• Difficult conversations can take place with a customer for a number of reasons and can include (but is not exclusive to):

Faulty goods or services, complaints from poor service or standards, delays in scheduled events, selling-out of products, over-priced goods, delivery errors, miscommunication between business and customer, user-experience, slow systems, and technical issues

The techniques you have learned in this session are also useful for handling difficult conversations with customers.

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• Using the techniques slide

(12), how will the

techniques identified help

to manage the following

challenging conversations:

1. Complaint on a technical

issue with a website

2. Complaint over poor

service

Activity

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• As a manager you have limits of authority. You need to know when it is appropriate to escalate a problem.

• The limits of authority is set out in your contract, job description and company policy and procedures

Consider and discuss the consequences of not operating within your limits of authority?

Escalating Problems

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Activity

• Complete the quiz –

on challenging

conversations

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• For your next Skills Coach visit, can you get any evidence to demonstrate you have carried out any of the below behaviours:

Agile – having a positive attitude to feedback (B1)

Agile – being adaptable and flexible to organisation needs (B2)

Inclusive – being open, honest and authentic (B1)

Inclusive – building trust with others (B2)

Inclusive – seeking others opinions (B3)

Behaviours

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