Difficult Conversations – Navigating the Boss Versus Friend Relationship

Hi, I’m Nicola from The People Mentor. Welcome to my podcast series on difficult conversations. In it, I’m answering some questions that I’ve been asked and hopefully sharing some wisdom from my 30 years of leading teams. Today’s podcast explores what to do when you get promoted and you’re in a position where you have … Read more

Crucial conversations versus radical candour – which one is best?

Hi, I’m Nicola from The People Mentor. Today, I’m going to look at different approaches to dealing with crucial and difficult conversations to get the best outcome. No manager ever relishes having a conversation where they have to let someone go, or tell them about a change they weren’t expecting. Sometimes it’s not actually delivering … Read more

How to Prevent Conflict in Your SME Office-based Workplace

Many moons ago I can recall walking into a huge storm from two of my team members.  I was young and inexperienced and really struggled with how to deal with it.  I met with both members and listened to their side of the argument.  It was all about the previous manager sharing work out and … Read more

Can You Carry Out a Successful Disciplinary When Working Remotely?

The move to remote and hybrid working has brought many practical challenges for managers. It has forced businesses to adapt normal working practices and procedures, and disciplinary procedures are no exception. Can you carry out a disciplinary when working remotely? Now that we are returning to workplaces and in many cases working with a hybrid … Read more

4 Easy Steps to Preparing for Difficult Conversations

Can you remember the last time you had to have a difficult conversation with an employee? As managers, we like to think that we’re prepared for anything, but having tough conversations is one of the most difficult, and at times, scary things about the job. I had a team member who’d get very aggressive. I … Read more