Courageous conversations need to be anchored in aligned expectations. When I talk about courageous conversations, I mean giving feedback when expectations are unmet, especially when it requires real courage to speak up.
I recently worked with a coaching client who reported to the CEO but needed to work closely with an HR manager to execute her tasks. Unfortunately, that manager often disagreed with the CEO and took it out on her, causing years of stress and underperformance. Sound familiar? The client was caught between competing leaders, becoming the victim of poor leadership dynamics.
This often happens in organisations, where talented people get trapped between conflicting leadership styles and suffer in silence. However, this organisation had developed clear culture guidelines. The challenge was now to implement it and live it.
Culture is everyone’s responsibility; and courageous conversations are needed to bring the intended culture to life.
Instead of staying the victim, I coached my client to give feedback to the HR manager who wasn’t behaving within the new culture. It took courage, but she did it with her direct manager’s support. The result? That manager’s behaviour came to light, and he eventually left the organisation.
Apply: Does your team need training in:
- Staying Above the Line
- Giving and Receiving Feedback
- Understanding Feedback Culture
- Understanding Assertive Feedback
Ready to build a culture where courageous conversations happen naturally?