Conduct difficult conversations

This standard is about conducting challenging, sensitive and high-risk conversations with colleagues and stakeholders. You prepare for conversations that may involve conflict, strong emotions, difficult feedback, sensitive issues or significant organisational impact. You communicate with clarity, transparency and respect, creating an environment where people feel able to speak openly. You listen actively, interpret verbal and non-verbal cues, regulate your own emotions and maintain psychological safety. You guide conversations towards constructive outcomes, act in line with organisational values, standards of practice, policies and procedures, and take responsibility for the impact of your communication. You use critical reflection to evaluate and improve your approach over time. 

This standard applies to managers and leaders at all levels across all sectors.

1. Clarify the purpose and desired outcomes of challenging, sensitive and high-risk conversations to guide your approach.
2. Gather the information you need to prepare for the conversation and support informed discussion.
3. Determine who needs to be involved to support a safe and constructive conversation.
4. Prepare for the conversation in line with organisational values, standards of practice, policies and procedures.
5. Create and maintain an inclusive and psychologically safe environment where participants feel able to speak openly and respectfully.
6. Communicate information clearly, transparently and objectively to support accurate understanding and informed, safe decision-making.  
7. Use clear, factual and neutral verbal and non-verbal communication suited to sensitive and high-risk situations.
8. Listen actively and interpret verbal and non-verbal cues to understand emotions, perspectives and levels of understanding.
9. Regulate your own emotions to maintain composure and professionalism and to support constructive, safe and focused dialogue.  
10. Acknowledge emotions and respond with empathy to support psychological safety and enable open, honest and solution-focused discussion.  
11. Encourage contributions from all participants to support balanced and inclusive discussion.
12. Respond to unhelpful comments and behaviours by refocusing attention on the purpose of the conversation.
13. Explore different perspectives to support constructive dialogue and informed decision-making.
14. Confirm decisions, agreed actions and next steps, and communicate these in line with organisational procedures.
15. Reflect critically on the conversation to identify opportunities to strengthen your approach to conducting difficult conversations.

1. The types of conversations that may be challenging, sensitive or high-risk.
2. Factors that influence the purpose and desired outcomes of difficult conversations.
3. How to prepare for challenging conversations in line with organisational standards of practice, policies and procedures.
4. How to determine who needs to be involved in sensitive and high-risk discussions.
5. The principles of psychological safety and how to create conditions that support open, respectful contribution.
6. The principles of clear, respectful and objective communication in difficult situations.
7. How to regulate your own emotions during challenging conversations.
8. How to recognise and respond to the emotions of others.
9. Factors that create barriers to participation and how to reduce them.
10. Approaches to conflict resolution and how to guide conversations towards constructive outcomes.
11. The organisational standards of practice, policies and procedures relevant to sensitive or high-risk conversations.
12. The principles of accurate and appropriate recording and communication of decisions and actions.
13. How to check understanding in ways that support inclusion and psychological safety.
14. The principles of critical reflection and how reflective practice informs learning, improvement and professional judgement.
15. How to recognise behaviours as a form of communication and interpret what they may indicate about needs, emotions or perspectives, including how power dynamics influence communication and outcomes.

The following values underpin this standard. They are integrated throughout the performance criteria and knowledge and understanding requirements and inform how individuals approach their work, make decisions and interact with others.

• Integrity - communicating honestly and transparently in difficult situations.
• Respect - treating people with dignity during challenging or sensitive conversations.
• Inclusion - ensuring all voices can be heard safely and fairly.
• Courage - addressing difficult issues directly and responsibly.
• Empathy - recognising and responding to the emotions and experiences of others.
• Responsibility - taking ownership of the impact and outcomes of the conversation.
• Confidentiality - handling sensitive information appropriately and in line with organisational and professional standards.

The following behaviours underpin this standard. They are integrated throughout the performance criteria and knowledge and understanding requirements and inform how individuals approach their work, make decisions and interact with others.

• Act with integrity, communicating transparently.
• Show empathy, recognising and responding to the emotions of others.
• Demonstrate composure, regulating your own emotions professionally.
• Respond with respect, valuing the dignity and perspectives of others.
• Encourage inclusion, ensuring all voices can be heard safely.
• Take accountability for owning the impact and outcomes of the conversation.
• Practise self-care, maintaining habits that support emotional balance and resilience.