A beginner’s guide to difficult conversations at work

A beginner’s guide to difficult conversations at work

A beginner’s guide to difficult conversations at work. Difficult conversations are a leadership challenge; this guide is here to make them easier.

You’ll find out why people avoid them, what happens when we stay silent and practical ways to deal with the most common situations. From giving quick feedback in the moment to tackling repeated performance issues and even speaking up to senior colleagues, you’ll get straightforward advice you can start using right away.

To bring this to life, we’ve drawn on the expertise of Bit Famous associate and leadership coach Heather Wright. Heather has years of experience working with organisations on culture, performance and leadership. She knows first-hand how much confidence grows when people learn to handle these conversations well. Her insights and practical tools run through this beginner’s guide.

Visible leadership mistakes

Visible leadership mistakes and how to avoid them

Visible leadership mistakes and how to avoid them.
Visible leadership isn’t just about being present; it’s about genuinely connecting with your team, being approachable and staying engaged.

But let’s face it, even the best leaders can make mistakes – sometimes an attempt to be more visible can backfire, creating distance instead of connection.

In this blog, I’ll cover some of the common traps and share practical advice on how to avoid them. By the end, you’ll have the tools you need to build real, lasting connections that strengthen your leadership.

Can you just say a few words?

Could you just say a few words please?
Ever been asked that, or had to ask it of someone else?
It’s for that moment in an office, when there’s a ‘leaving do’ – a team member is retiring, going on maternity leave, moving on to another department or a new job somewhere else – and it’s someone senior’s job to mark the occasion with a small speech-ette.
But it can fall a bit flat, can’t it? We’ve all witnessed it. The departing person feels unappreciated, the team are embarrassed. And you’ve missed an opportunity to communicate culture and to show how valuable your people actually are.
So let’s get on top of these moments as leaders, make the most of the chance to be visible and ultimately make them more meaningful.

Visible leadership: The coffee strategy

Being visible as a leader is hugely important. Visible leaders can engage others, share key messages, values, and behaviours – making your job a bit easier, perhaps?
It’s a huge topic, so today I’m giving you just one thing that you and your colleagues can adopt to be more visible and more confident. The challenge of networking
I regularly hear frustrations from my clients about leaders and emerging talent sticking to their silos, not sharing their worth, and failing to build a network.
I wasn’t proactive in making connections when I was an employee, which slowed down my career progress and made me feel cut off from the ‘big picture’ at work.
Most people aren’t strategic network builders, which is a shame because nothing beats getting support, know-how, and a chance to be visible in front of a wider group.
When we hear ‘network’, we often think of ‘networking’ – not instantly appealing, I have to say.

Women in professional services

Women in professional services: 10 key strategies for career progress

Women in professional services: 10 key strategies for career progress. When you want to progress at work, it’s not simply a case of just being good at your job. Let’s assume you’ve got that covered.

Advancing your career requires a shift in the way you get seen by the people who matter to you and your career.

You could call that developing your ‘personal brand’. But don’t stop there. Get the cut through you need, to be highly thought of for opportunities by adding the word ‘profile’.

Ask yourself, what am I doing to progress my personal brand profile? Where am I being seen? And am I just hoping for the best? And if that made you a little uncomfortable then you probably need to take action or remain a best-kept secret.

The following list gives you 10 tried and tested, highly effective ways to showcase your expertise and the value you bring.

And remember, it’s not what you know, or who you know. It’s who knows you…

Are you a boring boss?

Are you a boring boss? Find out in 5 questions

Are you a boring boss? In a meeting with a colleague, customer or client, who speaks first and for how long? Boring people tend to do all the talking and dominate a conversation. It can be frustrating when someone dominates the conversation and doesn’t give others a chance to speak.