Hard Conversations — Phil Soloninka

Workshop Dashboard

Help leaders stop avoiding the conversations that are quietly costing trust, clarity, and performance.

This interactive version gives you a live workshop dashboard, realistic practice scenarios, a conversation planning builder, and an end-of-session action plan generator.

Core Outcomes

What participants should leave able to do

Recognize the cost of avoiding difficult conversations.
Prepare for a hard conversation without turning it into a lecture.
Address behavior directly while preserving working trust.
Use curiosity to reduce defensiveness and gather context.
Leave conversations with clear agreements and next steps.

Facilitator Cue

How to frame the session

Suggested opening: “Most leadership problems are not only performance problems. They’re conversation problems. This session is about helping you stop delaying the conversations that are quietly driving frustration, confusion, and trust erosion.”

Framework 1

The Cost of Avoidance

Avoiding discomfort creates larger downstream costs in trust, accountability, and team clarity.

Framework 2

Curiosity Before Judgment

Leaders get better results when they start with context and questions before conclusions.

Framework 3

Clarity With Respect

Directness and trust are not opposites. Clear leadership protects both.

Workshop Agenda

3-hour delivery flow

0-15 min

Opening and framing
Set the tone. Clarify why leaders avoid hard conversations and what it costs.

15-35 min

The cost of avoidance discussion
Participants reflect on a conversation they delayed and the cost of delay.

35-55 min

Teach the core frameworks
Behavior vs personality, impact, curiosity, and directness.

55-75 min

Reflection exercise
Participants identify a real conversation they need to have.

75-90 min

Conversation planning intro
Walk through the preparation map.

90-100 min

Break
Reset before application.

100-130 min

Planner exercise
Participants build a conversation plan for a real scenario.

130-160 min

Role-play practice
Use the scenario cards and rotate speaker, receiver, observer.

160-175 min

Handling defensiveness
Debrief what escalates and what re-centers the conversation.

175-180 min

Action commitment
Each participant names one real conversation and their first move.

Scenario Lab

Use realistic scenarios to practice in the room

Pick a scenario to reveal the setup, tension, challenge, and debrief prompts.

Conversation Preparation Map

Build a clear plan before the conversation happens

This helps leaders stop improvising emotionally and start walking in with clarity.

What happened?

Why does it matter?

What outcome is needed?

What question should you ask first?

What agreement or next step needs to leave the conversation?

Action Plan

Turn the session into one real move

The point is not just insight. It’s a conversation that actually happens.

Build your next step

What real conversation do you need to have? When will you have it? What is your first sentence? What support or discipline do you need so you do not avoid it?

Post-session checklist

I can separate behavior from personality. I can explain impact without spiraling into blame. I know the first question I want to ask. I know the agreement I need before the conversation ends. I have one real conversation scheduled or named.