Podcast 233: Courageous conversations

How often do we shy away from tough conversations, or avoid workplaces issues in the hope they’ll simply resolve themselves? It’s human instinct to avoid the uncomfortable, after all. But what impact is this avoidance having in our workplaces? Performance issues go unaddressed, poor behaviour gets worked around, and tension between colleagues is smoothed over rather than named. Left unresolved, these situations can breed misunderstanding, strain relationships, and quietly erode culture and performance. So what do courageous conversations actually look like in practice? 

Join Nigel Cassidy and this month's guests – Joan O'Connor, Head of Leadership Practice at 10Eighty; Jo Carlin, Chief People Officer at Effective Energy Group; and Corinne Micallef, director, facilitator and coach with the National Theatre's Theatreworks programme – as they explore how people professionals, line managers and business leaders can move from avoidance to having courageous conversations. 

In this episode, our panel explores: 

• Why courageous conversations are a core leadership skill rather than a nice-to-have – and what happens when organisations avoid them. How does silence become an organisational risk? 
• What’s the difference between a ‘difficult’ conversation and a ‘courageous’ one. How can we build embed courage as a daily practice. 
• What holds people professionals, business leaders and line managers back from speaking up – and what helps them push through it?

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Your next listen: 

• CIPD Podcast 214: Success starts small – Building sustainable workplace habits 
• CIPD Podcast 212: Creating a culture of psychological safety at work 
• HR People Pod – Episode 52: Courageous leadership, clarity and organisational falafel – with Diana Osagie 

More from this episode: 

• CIPD Profession Map – Professional courage and influence 

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