Tough Leadership Conversations

This nine-part series examines how to navigate some of the most challenging workplace discussions.

Tough Leadership Conversations is for middle-senior managers and leaders who are looking to deal with difficult situations more effectively.

Management refers to the daily activities that you are engaging in and leadership involves thinking about things like culture, team working styles and broader strategy.

The series is as much about reflecting inwards as a leader as it is about your day-to-day management practices and techniques.

Your Expert

Ruth Farenga works with leaders in the technology sector, helping them to lead effectively and contribute to their organisation's success. Her approach supports leaders in honing their emotional intelligence to connect, attract, and retain top talent.

Ruth helps teams navigate personal and professional challenges, creating leaders who understand that by developing themselves, they can bring out the best in others.

Lessons in this Series

Navigating Pay Rise and Promotions Requests

Explore the dynamics of promotion and pay rise discussions, uncovering strategies to lead with clarity, confidence, and care.

Approach pay rise and promotion discussions with clarity, fairness, and structure.
Prepare and present business cases for progression conversations that happen internally.
Handle expectations when budget constraints or policies limit progression opportunities.

Conversations on Mental Health as a Leader

Discover how to navigate sensitive mental health conversations at work, balancing compassion with professionalism to foster trust and psychological safety.

Explore how to approach mental health conversations with empathy, awareness, and appropriate boundaries.
Examine strategies for navigating generational differences in mental health literacy and openness.
Identify practical techniques to support team members and model psychological safety and emotional resilience as a leader.

Dealing With Conflict in Your Team

Gain insight into real-world workplace conflicts, exploring how leaders can transform tension into collaboration through a structured, values-driven approach.

Identify the root causes of interpersonal conflict and address them early.
Explore structured steps for mediating disagreements and de-escalating tension.
Discover how to maintain neutrality while reinforcing team values and behavioural expectations.

Dealing With Divergent Views in Your Team

Explore real-world strategies for managing diverse perspectives, learning how to create psychological safety and transform tension into collaborative strength.

Explore the impact of identity, values, and background on team perspectives.
Examine the link between diversity, psychological safety, and performance.
Implement practical structures for inclusive communication and equitable decision-making.

How To Admit and Learn From Your Mistakes as a Leader

Discover how to turn mistakes into leadership opportunities, learning to acknowledge errors, explore root causes, and strengthen team trust through vulnerability.

Discover the importance of humility and vulnerability in leadership.
Apply a practical framework for acknowledging, learning from, and responding to mistakes.
Explore how role-modelling failure can strengthen psychological safety and team trust.

How To Have a Difficult Performance Conversation

Explore real-world approaches to performance feedback, learning how to catch issues early, communicate constructively, and support your team’s growth.

Build confidence to deliver clear, direct performance feedback with care.
Examine a step-by-step framework for performance conversations that foster improvement rather than resentment.
Explore how to hold space for emotion while reinforcing expectations and outcomes.

How To Manage Managers

Discover strategies for leading through layers, learning how to coach, mentor, and support managers to lead effectively with confidence and psychological safety.

Shift from tactical oversight to strategic coaching as a senior leader.
Examine how to empower new and experienced managers without micromanaging.
Explore strategies to help managers navigate challenges while developing leadership

Leading Employees With More Experience Than You

Explore strategies for understanding and managing difficult behaviours, reducing bias, and fostering meaningful change in your team.

Reflect on your own biases and assumptions about difficult behaviour.
Examine the root causes of resistance and disengagement in your team.
Apply a structured approach to feedback, goal-setting, and behaviour change.

Leading in a High-Performing Environment

Gain insight into leading high performers, exploring how to support, challenge, and retain your most capable team members while preventing burnout.

Discover how to support ambitious, high-performing team members without burning them out.
Set clear boundaries, roles, and expectations to manage impact and avoid overload.
Explore how to build trust, maintain authority, and offer progression opportunities.