Not all trainings and workshops are created equally, as I’m sure you can attest to. Meeting your audience where they’re at, and using language that they can relate to, is key.
But leaders aren’t born with the language they need to lead, and they often aren’t taught it either. So we need to turn to tools and resources to help us out.
This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Ken Cameron and Russell Stratton about their new book, I Need to F**king Talk to You: The Art of Navigating Difficult Workplace Conversations and the trainings they do in organizations.
Psychological safety isn’t a new conversation, but there’s definitely more attention being paid to it and organizations are finally starting to seek out solutions. But like we’ve said here before, “trainings” with someone talking from the stage isn’t going to crate change in leaders or team members. Instead, we need to create safe spaces where people can both practice having difficult conversations so the learnings transfer into the real workplace.
Ken, Russell, and I talk through what this looks like and why front line workers in the trades are so good at it.
Listen on your favourite podcast player
About Russell Stratton:
As the “Leadership Champ” Russell helps leaders EXCITE© their teams about their work. He believes that every leader has the potential to improve individual and team performance in their workplace. However, during his work with a great many leaders over 30 years, across a range of businesses, he’s found that there is one particular challenge that holds them back – being able to have difficult conversations with team members, co-workers or even their boss.
About Ken Cameron:
One of Ken’s clients gave him the title “Facilitator of Thinking Differently”, and he’s proudly hung onto it ever since. Thinking Differently began in Ken’s first career as one of Canada’s most successful playwrights, directors and festival programmers. The unique combination allows him to create interactive and engaging sessions that result in key insights and eureka moments for your team.
Ken comes to his creative approach as a consultant facilitator honestly. In addition to a Master of Fine Arts degree Ken is one of Canada’s most successful playwrights, directors and arts administrators. Since 2012, Ken has used his creative background to design sessions that draw out all participants, especially the most introverted, who rarely have the opportunity to share their thoughts. He uses his administrative experience and endless curiosity, to fully understand the business so he can reframe your focus and increase your profitability. The unique combination leads to interactive and engaging sessions that result in key insights and eureka moments.
Mentioned In This Episode:
- I Need to F***ing Talk to You: The Art of Navigating Difficult Workplace Conversations by Russell Stratton and Ken Cameron
- Amy Edmonson on Psychological Safety
- Mental Health Skills Training
- Join the monthly digital subscription
