Difficult Conversations for Leaders
Delivering bad news, handling complaints, or dealing with disputes, conflict is part and parcel of being a leader in the modern workplace. We can't avoid it, so how can we tackle these difficult encounters effectively whilst staying in control of our emotions?
Course Outcomes
- Build a practical toolkit to enable effective communication in difficult situations.
- Learn to manage your mindset and stay calm when emotions are high
- Structure for your upcoming difficult conversation
- Reflect upon and challenge your own natural responses to conflictual situations.
- Practice tricky conversations, active listening, and other skills with AI avatars
You will work through interactive activities and immersive AI simulations in VR and/or online. By the end of this course, instead of dreading them, you’ll have developed the skills to view difficult conversations as opportunities for growth. You'll feel competent and confident to handle each challenging encounter with calm and professionalism.
This is a structured e-learning course with interactive quizzes and exercises as well as practice simulations and activities in Virtual Reality. If you don’t have a VR headset, all VR activities can be accessed online through our immersive 360-degree software.
Key skills covered:
- Challenging assumptions and managing mindset
- Active listening
- Body language
- Paraphrasing and reflecting back
- Non-confrontational language
Online learning, done differently
We combine online learning with practice for a unique learning approach. At certain points throughout this public speaking course, you'll practice what you've learned.
Learn online, anytime
Complete a series of videos, quizzes, and case studies at your own pace - available to access at any time.
Practice with exercises
Build your skills and confidence by putting them to the test with computer-generated audiences and AI-generated questions.
Improve with feedback
Receive instant feedback on your performance to help identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Course Content
Your Facilitator
Helen Hooper
Helen is an experienced learning designer and facilitator with a passion for experiential learning and soft skills development. With a background as a presenter, storyteller and EdTech platform founder, Helen is well-versed in transforming complex subject matter into accessible and engaging formats, with active participation and practice at the core.
Practice Exercises
Practice difficult conversations with interactive and engaging exercises. At key points during the course, you'll be prompted to practice what you've learned in one of the following exercises.
AI-powered roleplays
Engage in difficult conversations with fast-thinking avatars in a range of realistic scenarios. Available in VR and online.
Non-confrontational language
Rephrase your words into more cooperative forms in real-time with an AI coach
Active listening
Practice listening for details and the bigger picture. And discover the power of your own body language.
Body language
Experience the power of your own body language and its impact on your ability to actively listen and communicate
Paraphrasing
Show the other person that you seek to understand by reflecting back what you hear, with real-time feedback from an AI coach.
Features in the practice exercises
Improve faster and practice what you learn with these features.
What's included in this course:
- 2.5 hours of learning
- 6 challenging roleplays
- 5 additional practice exercises
- AI feedback and questions
- Interactive quizzes and assessment
- Earn a digital course certificate
- Flexible, self-led format
- Access to updated content
Access all courses
US $45
(per month)
12 months access to this course
Frequently Asked Questions
You can access the classes through the VirtualSpeech website, on any standard web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
The practice exercises can be completed online or in virtual reality (if you have a VR headset).
When you enroll in the course, you'll get 24/7 access to the course (including tutorial videos, case studies, practice exercises, VR, and more) through the VirtualSpeech website and in VR.
Both the online classes and exercises run in your browser, no additional software or download is required.
If you have a VR headset, you can also access the practice exercises in VR. Here's a list of our recommended VR headsets.
The online exercises have been tested across multiple browsers and run smoothly on Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Edge.
We accept payment via Credit Card, Debit Card or PayPal directly through the VirtualSpeech site. If you'd like to pay with an Invoice or using another payment method, please contact us.
Yes you can. After pressing the 'Buy Now' button on this page, select the number of users (maximum is 25).
After the payment, you'll be made course admin and can add users to the course from the admin dashboard.
Yes, when you've completed this course, we'll send you a Certificate of Achievement, which you can share in the Certifications section of your LinkedIn profile, on printed resumes, CVs, or other documents.
If the course does not meet your expectations, you can get a full refund within 7 days of purchasing the course.