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Courses / Uncomfortable Conversations
Uncomfortable Conversations
Workplace Communication Training for Managers
Designed to make good managers great communicators, this highly-engaging course teaches how to confidently navigate difficult conversations with direct reports.
30 minutes 
Pre-measurement + 2 Course Modules
Manager Course 
English and Spanish
Training Topics
Manager Training Effective Workplace CommunicationLeadership Development Performance ManagementDifficult Conversations
Contact us for a full course demo.
Do your managers have the communication skills they need to lead a productive team?
Effective communication is vital for a healthy and productive workplace, particularly when challenging issues arise. This course uses relatable scenarios, humor, and practical tips to help managers overcome procrastination and swiftly initiate difficult conversations with direct reports. It teaches respectful handling of uncomfortable conversations, enhancing managers' skills and confidence and enabling better outcomes for everyone.
Learning Goals
Managers learn key communication skills, including:
- Initiating difficult conversations at work instead of avoiding them or procrastinating.
- Balancing empathy with their responsibilities as a manager during an uncomfortable conversation.
- Employing tips and strategies to effectively conduct and navigate a difficult conversation with their direct reports.
- Maintaining dignity and respect for the employee throughout the uncomfortable conversation.
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Measure Success with Atana Insights
- A 5-minute pre-measurement module establishes a baseline of your managers' attitudes on and awareness of issues related to having difficult conversations with direct reports.
- Atana aggregates your learners’ responses to questions in the course related to desired workplace actions (such as promptness in addressing issues and balancing empathy and responsibility).
- Using the gathered data, Atana Insights creates a benchmark of strengths and weaknesses within your organization’s culture and compares your results to national averages. Insights include an understanding of:
- Your managers' personal comfort with conflict.
- How your managers are influenced by relationships with supervisors and subordinates.
- How confident and equipped your managers are to address low performance and other sensitive issues.
Course Details
The course is divided into two modules.
Modules not sold separately.
Module 1: Be Ready and Be Clear
Enables managers to:
- Think about and prepare what they want to say prior to starting the conversation.
- Clearly identify the problem and desired outcomes and expectations.
- Anticipate potential reactions from their direct report so they aren’t caught off guard.
- Nurture a positive and empathetic mindset when initiating a conversation with their direct report.
- Start the conversation with a statement that prepares the employee for what's coming.
- Clearly state the facts during the conversation.
- Explain the impact of the problem they are addressing.
- Set expectations for what comes next.
Training time: 15 minutes
Module 2: Be Steady
Enables managers to:
- Have the skills and confidence needed to avoid reacting emotionally during the conversation.
- Maintain respect and redirect any sidetracks that may occur in order to stay on course.
- Get comfortable with the silence that may occur.
- Balance empathy for the employee with their responsibility as a manager.
Training time: 15 minutes
Healthcare Version
- Designed for managers working in healthcare organizations
- Same learning objectives and targeted behaviors
- Relatable scenarios set in healthcare
Built by
“strongly aligns with our core values as a company”
The training is something we feel strongly aligns with our core values as a company. We wanted to be able to share those ideas with our employees in ways that are in line with the diversity & inclusion course.
Angela Leavell, Director eLearning and Development, Hard Rock International
“high-quality content with the ability to capture and hold people's attention"
I found products that were engaging and got the learning points across. Their training products combine high-quality content with the ability to capture and hold people's attention.
Rob Highfill, Director of Customer Solutions, Frontline Insurance
“Courses are always engaging, even on historically dry topics"
We’ve been using Atana almost 4 years now. Other training providers usually just check the box. But Atana is always engaging, bringing humor and entertainment to even historically dry topics.
Renee Frisk-Jones, Senior Manager - Enterprise Learning Experience & Solutions, Harbor Freight
“Atana enables us to identify what impact these courses have on our people and our business"
Tracking impact and ROI for our L&D and HR initiatives is historically difficult. Atana enables us to identify what impact these courses have on our people and our business.
Renee Frisk-Jones, Senior Manager - Enterprise Learning Experience & Solutions, Harbor Freight
Awards
- AVA Digital Awards, Platinum Winner
- Accolade Global Film Competition, Award of Excellence
- Hermes Creative Awards, Platinum Winner
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