Are you stuck in a cycle with an underperforming team member?

Meet Sarah. She’s a dedicated line manager in Higher Education, but she’s struggling. One of her team members isn’t performing, and despite her best efforts, they’re stuck in an unhelpful pattern of relating to each other. Every conversation feels like a battle—she says this, they say that, and nothing changes.

The frustration is growing.

• Her stress levels are rising.
• The rest of the team is picking up the slack—and they’re starting to resent it.
• She’s questioning whether she’s even cut out for management.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Sarah didn't.

Most managers have never been properly trained for these situations

Managing difficult conversations is a critical leadership skill—but in Higher Education, most managers like Sarah have never been given the right tools to do it well. HR guidance is often policy-led, kicking in only when things escalate. In the meantime, managers are left to struggle alone.

The good news? There is a way to break free from this cycle.

Introducing Management Conversations

Management Conversations is a hybrid programme designed to help you tackle tough conversations head-on—without stress, second-guessing, or sleepless nights.

Inside this programme, you’ll:

• Learn a structured framework for handling difficult conversations with confidence.

• Practice your skills in a supportive environment through coaching and group discussions.

• Apply what you’ve learned and finally break free from the patterns that have kept you stuck for so long.

This isn’t just another leadership course. This is practical, actionable, and designed to make an immediate difference in your working life.

What’s inside the programme?

🔹 Self-Paced Course – Get step-by-step guidance on preparing for and leading difficult conversations.

🔹 Drop-In Group Coaching – Join live sessions where you’ll get real-time feedback, work through challenges, and learn from peers.

🔹 1:1 Coaching (Optional Add-On) – Bring your fears, worries, and real-life scenarios so we can untangle your views, opinions, and beliefs about how difficult these conversations need to be.

🔹 In-Person Workshop (Optional Add-On) – A safe, immersive space where you’ll practice, refine, and gain direct feedback on your management conversations.

Fancy a sneak peak?

If you're curious what it might be like inside The Management Conversations Programme you can check out the Welcome video. It's the first thing that new members have access to and it sets out what to expect and how I approach the programme.

Why now?

If you keep avoiding these conversations, things won’t get better. Trust in institutions is dwindling and people feel more uncertain than ever and they're looking to you as their manager to be a sturdy leader. But if you don't start having these conversations:

• Your frustration will grow.

• Your team will lose trust in you.

• Your confidence will dwindle.

• Your career prospects could be at risk.

But when you master these skills, everything changes:

• You feel capable and confident handling tough conversations.

• Your team trusts your leadership.

• The underperformer either improves or moves on, allowing you to build a stronger team.

• You gain a reputation as an accomplished, effective manager, positioning yourself for promotion and job security—even in times of restructuring.

Join the programme 

You don’t have to keep struggling with this alone. Join Management Conversations now and start leading with clarity and confidence.

The programme will open on Monday 14th April.

Choose Your Level:

If your employer is paying then you can go here to find all of the details of institutions I'm already registered with and how to get a quote in order to raise a Purchase Order.

Brave the conversation, transform the culture.