Practical Skills for Confronting & Preventing Conflict at Work

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Tuesday, 06 October 2026

09:30 - 13:00 ( 3 hours 30 mins )

Online

2 Half Days - 6th & 13th October

Learn how to tackle difficult conversations, manage workplace conflict early, and build stronger working relationships with practical tools, proven techniques and AI-assisted strategies you can apply immediately.

Event details

About the event

2 Half Days Duration

6th October 2 Half Days - 6th & 13th October

Online Zoom

€415.00 Charity and Small Business rate also available

In Partnership With

Overview

Tackle conflict early. Lead conversations that build trust.

The conversations you avoid are already shaping culture, performance and trust.

Whether it's poor performance, difficult behaviour, personality clashes or unresolved tensions within a team, workplace conflict can quickly escalate if it isn't addressed early.

Join workplace mediator, coach and mentor Scott Alexander for this highly practical two-part online workshop and learn how to handle challenging conversations with greater confidence, reduce reliance on formal processes, and build stronger working relationships.

This is not a passive webinar. Through live discussion, exercises, demonstrations and case studies, you'll develop practical skills you can use immediately in your role.

What you'll gain

Over two interactive sessions, you'll learn how to:

Spot the early signs of workplace conflict and identify the causes of tension within teams
Manage poor performance and behavioural issues with greater confidence
Take control of challenging conversations using practical models and frameworks
Ask better questions in one-to-one meetings and difficult discussions
Build trust through active listening, curiosity and reframing techniques
Address issues before they escalate into formal processes
Improve communication and strengthen working relationships across teams
Help employees feel heard and understood while maintaining accountability
Use AI safely to plan, structure and rehearse difficult conversations
Move from being a "problem fixer" to a leader who creates positive, productive workplace conversations

You'll also receive an editable workbook packed with practical models, scripts, tools and resources that you can continue to use long after the workshop has finished.

Why this workshop matters

Many managers and HR professionals know they need to have a conversation, but struggle with:

Knowing what to say
Choosing the right approach
Managing emotional reactions
Preventing situations from escalating
Balancing empathy with accountability

Ignoring tension rarely solves the problem. It often leads to reduced performance, damaged relationships, formal grievances and increased management time.

This workshop provides practical, proven techniques to help you intervene earlier, communicate more effectively and create better outcomes for everyone involved.

Who this event is for

This workshop is ideal for:

HR professionals and HR business partners
People managers and team leaders
Business owners
Anyone responsible for managing people, performance or workplace relationships

Particularly valuable for those who regularly find themselves dealing with difficult conversations, workplace tensions, behavioural issues or performance concerns and want practical tools to handle them constructively.

Secure your place today!

Programme

A closer look at the event's agenda...

Here's what to expect at Practical Skills for Confronting & Preventing Conflict at Work:

Time

Session

09:30 am

Day 1

Understanding and Responding to Conflict

Welcome & Introduction

NOTE: This event is designed to be interactive, and programme content may vary from that shown, depending on levels of interaction and what the trainer thinks during the course will best help attendees maximise return on their investment.

09:35 am

What Does a Great Boss Look Like to You?

Scott Alexander, our expert facilitator, will start the conversation with polls to surface some of the challenging behaviours we’ve all come across at work and to shape the session. It’s a low-pressure way to find common ground and ease into the morning.

09:45 am

Understanding Challenging Behaviour and Sources of Workplace Conflict

As Ferris Bueller reminds us, “Life moves pretty fast…” and in the workplace, so does conflict if you don’t pause and spot the signs early. We’ll explore the root causes of challenging behaviour, use models such as Thomas–Kilmann Conflict model to understand your instinctive response style (and when to adapt it), and discover how a shift to curiosity can transform difficult conversations.

10:45 am

Being Right vs Being Curious

In this live demo (no volunteers needed!), you’ll explore real moments where people leaders face conflict and how the way they respond sets the tone for the whole team.

11:00 am

Screen Break

11:30 am

The Good, the Bad and the Misunderstood

Most workplace conflict starts with pressure, assumptions, and conversations that don’t happen soon enough. This session shows you how to break that cycle.

12:15 pm

Curious Conversations in a Divided Workplace

When tensions rise, especially around values, beliefs or sensitive topics, it’s easy to slip into assumptions. Scott will focus on how a shift to curiosity can open up more constructive, respectful conversations, even when views differ. You’ll explore how to handle challenging situations in a way that moves things forward rather than making them worse.

12:45 pm

Q&A, Reflection and Action Planning with AI

Now an opportunity to reflect on what’s been covered and plan for that conversation you’ve been avoiding.

13:00 pm

Day Close

09:30 am

Day 2

Mediation and Coaching Skills for Sustainable Relationships

Welcome & Introduction

09:35 am

AI Prompt Reflections

Welcome back! We’ll hear how you got on with the AI prompts - what you tried, what surprised you, and how useful (or not) you found it in planning for real conversations. What would you keep, adapt, or discard from what the AI offered you?

09:45 am

Reaction to Resolution

It’s one thing to understand conflict but it’s another to handle it in the moment. This session brings the learning to life, giving you the chance to apply key skills to common scenarios, including how to explore allegations thoroughly before taking action +you might later regret.

10:30 am

When Language Becomes Weaponised

Language can quickly escalate tension, especially when used carelessly, defensively, or as a tool to gain advantage. We’ll look at how everyday communication can become “weaponised,” particularly in sensitive or high-stakes situations.

11:15 am

Screen Break

11:45 am

The Six Stages of a Successful Workplace Mediation

What if there was a more constructive, cost-effective alternative to lengthy investigations and formal hearings? Scott introduces the six stages of workplace mediation, demystifying how the process works in practice and what makes it so effective. Through guided discussion, you’ll explore how the models and tools you’ve already been using can support mediation, and how this approach differs from more traditional, procedural routes.

12:30 pm

Q&A, Wrap-Up and Commitments

Time to turn insight into action. In this close to the session, you’ll reflect on key takeaways and choose practical next steps to apply in your own team. This is your chance to commit to what you’ll do differently with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

13:00 pm

Event Close

Testimonials

Feedback that speaks volumes

Hear from previous attendees of Practical Skills for Confronting & Preventing Conflict at Work...

"The best thing was learning about different models and the types of scenarios to use them in. It was also very interesting to see how AI can be used to help up in the workplace. The workbook is also a great resource."

Miriam Fagan Clinical Nurse Manager, IBTS

"Lots of takeways and links to further info. I also tried Chatgpt for the first time."

Clare Devenny HR Executive, BIA

"Very interesting and useful content, and workbook!"

Tina Selby Director of Nursing, Irish Blood Transfusion Service

"Scott has a wealth of expertise."

Neil Templeton HR Business Partner, NIHE

Presenters

Explore the presenters on the day