Management Conversations Course

The Problem

Management conversations can feel really hard. Nobody tells you how much courage it takes to call out underperformance, set firmer boundaries, or tackle behaviour that’s dragging a team down. It’s uncomfortable. It can feel risky. And in Higher Education, most managers are left to figure it out alone because HR guidance usually says that things should be resolved locally in the first instance.

But how you handle these conversations is one of the clearest signals of your readiness for progression. Senior managers are looking for people who can handle uncertainty when the situation is messy, set and hold high standards without flinching, and bring sturdy, grounded energy that reassures others.

These are the fundamentals of the Hidden Curriculum of Progression. From G6→7, you’re expected to step up from guiding others informally to managing with accountability. From G7→8, you need to show you can hold culture and performance across broader teams. And in every case, your ability to face tricky conversations head-on is proof that you can lead people, not just processes.

The Stakes

If you don’t tackle these patterns, the costs add up quickly. Senior managers notice when issues drag on, and reputations for “not dealing with things” are hard to shake. Team morale suffers as stronger performers pick up the slack, and resentment builds quietly in the background. Your own stress rises as you carry unresolved tension, leaving you questioning whether you are even cut out for management.

Most importantly, progression gets blocked. The Hidden Curriculum is clear: moving from G6→7 and G7→8 means showing you can lead people, not just manage tasks. Without this skill, regrading and recruitment panels may see you as reliable but not ready.

Tough conversations don’t disappear if you avoid them. They sit in the background, quietly shaping how others see you as a leader.

What this course helps you prove

Progression panels don’t just want to know that you can deliver your workload. They want to see how you handle the human side of leadership. This course gives you the tools and practice to show, in your everyday management, that you are capable of more than your current grade.

You will learn how to prepare properly, open conversations with confidence, hold people accountable in a way that is both firm and fair, and close in a way that protects relationships as well as standards. By practising these skills in real situations, you will demonstrate the calm clarity and sturdy leadership energy that panels are looking for.

Who it’s for

This course is for Professional Services staff at Grades 6–8. It’s for new managers stepping into line management for the first time, and for experienced managers preparing to step up to broader leadership at Grade 7→8.

It’s also for anyone who knows that conversational competence is the missing piece in their readiness case.

It’s not for people who want abstract theory or those unwilling to practise these frameworks in real conversations. And it’s not HR policy training. This sits alongside policy, equipping you with the human skills that policies can’t.

What’s included

When you enrol, you get access to:

• Six self-paced video lessons with clear, tactical guidance you can apply straight away.

• Downloadable templates and scripts to help you structure conversations that matter.

• A custom GPT tool + master prompt to draft and rehearse conversations (whether or not you have a paid AI account).

• Monthly Conversation Clinic — a live coaching session where you can bring real cases, practise language, and get feedback. Replays are always available.

Curriculum at a glance

1. Overcoming the fear – Understand why you avoid these conversations, notice the stories you tell yourself, and learn how to put your worries into perspective.

2. Prepare – Get ready for the conversation, both practically and emotionally, so you enter it calm, grounded, and equipped.

3. Declare – Set the stage and let the other person prepare too, so the conversation doesn’t feel like an ambush.

4. Be clear – Handle the conversation with confidence and clarity, even when the message is difficult.

5. Close with care – End well, making sure everyone leaves the conversation with their dignity intact and next steps are agreed.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you won’t dread difficult conversations in the same way. You’ll understand why you tend to avoid them, and you’ll have tools to put your worries into perspective.

You’ll know how to prepare yourself, with the right notes, and with the right mindset so you enter conversations calm, grounded, and clear.

When it’s time to talk, you’ll be able to state your message openly and honestly, without defensiveness or ambiguity. You’ll be confident enough to hold your ground, but fair enough to listen.

And when the conversation ends, you’ll know how to close with care, leaving dignity intact and relationships on firmer ground.

For your team, that means fairness and consistency. For your senior colleagues, it means evidence that you can tackle issues rather than avoid them. For promotion panels, it means seeing the Hidden Curriculum behaviours in action: courage, clarity, judgement, and values-led leadership.

How it fits in the Pathway

This course sits in the Competence Phase of the Professional Services Progression Pathway. Once you know what’s expected at the next grade, the next step is building the practical skills to match.

If you are still figuring out where you stand, the Career Progression Clarity Session will help you diagnose your strengths and gaps first. If you are ready to package your evidence for panels, the Cover Letter Course will help you frame your achievements.

Your Investment

£147 one-time payment

Why it works in Higher Education

This course was built for Professional Services managers, by someone who has lived the reality of HE. It uses sector-specific scenarios, language that lands with academics and senior PS leaders, and practical structures that fit alongside HR policies.

It’s grounded in 13 years of HE management experience, over 200 coaching clients, and the additional perspective of a trained workplace mediator. These are the skills I wish every manager had, because if they did, I would never need to be called in to mediate again.

Hard conversations are not optional. They are the proving ground of leadership.

Enrol today and start building the competence that shows you are ready for the next grade.