Navigating difficult conversations

4th Jul 2024

Navigating Difficult Conversations - 2-5pm, Thursday 4th July

For many in a school leadership role, certain conversations can feel particularly daunting and difficult – whether these are giving feedback or discussing performance issues with a colleague, debating a difference of opinion with a more senior colleague or governor, or needing to respond to a demanding parent.

In this practical and supportive session we will introduce a simple, yet powerful and practical framework that can be applied to all conversations, including the ‘difficult’ ones, to help you build genuine two-way dialogue – creating transparent, powerful interactions which drive better outcomes.  We will also introduce a helpful framework for giving feedback, and explore power dynamics and how these impact on our relationships, and how to use this understanding to navigate difficult conversations more confidently.

We will cover:

• The foundations of a Powerful Conversation and how to build and maintain trust and safety.
• Listening techniques and questioning strategies to deepen connection and strengthen relationships.
• How to deliver feedback in a way that has maximum positive impact and drives real change and learning
• Understand power dynamics and how to leverage your authentic power to manage difficult conversations more confidently.

This workshop is taking place at the Linskill Centre, North Shields and is offered at a special rate for North East schools, just £95 + VAT per person per workshop (or £50 for additional colleagues from the same school).

To find out more and enrol, please go to https://btsspark.info/ne-workshops

This is one of a series of four practical workshops designed to help phase and subject leaders, heads of departments and anyone aspiring to a senior leadership role, to build their confidence and boost critical leadership skills. Each session covers one of the most common (and often the trickiest) challenges school leaders face:

• Navigating difficult conversations – 4th July
• Leading  with authenticity and confidence – 19th Sept.
• Develop your coaching skills – 5th December
• Leading at your best - (repeat session TBC in Spring 25)

Each session will provide attendees with a set of simple, yet powerful tools they can take away and apply in their day-to-day leadership role.

The workshops will be facilitated by former headteacher and qualified coach, Kerry Lord, BTS Spark’s leadership consultant for the North East.

Fur further details and to book places, please go to https://btsspark.info/ne-workshops

BTS Spark is the non-profit education practice of global leadership company BTS.  Our work is all about shifting mindsets, unlocking potential, and building capability to help school leaders to feel confident, resourceful and fully capable. To date we have worked with over 22,000 school and trust leaders in the UK and internationally.  Do have a look at our website at www.btsspark.org to find out more.