Every week you wait, the conversation gets harder.
You already know something needs to change. The performance gap is visible. The rest of the team sees it. And every week you postpone the conversation, three things happen. The behavior continues. What was a small problem three months ago is now a pattern. The gap between where this person is and where they need to be widens with every week of silence. Your team notices. They are watching you. Not to judge you, but to understand what you tolerate. When you avoid addressing underperformance, the message to your strongest people is clear: standards are negotiable here. That is how you lose the people you cannot afford to lose. The conversation compounds. The version of this conversation you need to have in three months will be harder, more emotional, and more likely to end badly than the version you could have this week. Avoidance does not make difficult conversations easier. It makes them more difficult and more expensive. The cost of one unaddressed conflict is an average of $7,500 in lost productivity and 7 workdays per employee involved (CPP Global Human Capital Report). On a team of 12, that is not a communication problem. It is a business problem.
This course is built for that moment.
Most leaders don't avoid difficult conversations because they don't care. They avoid them because they don't know how to start and they're afraid of making things worse. The Conversation You've Been Avoiding is a 60-minute course that gives you a six-step framework for addressing underperformance with a direct report. Not theory. Not general communication advice. A specific sequence with exact language that takes you from preparation to follow-up, start to finish. You will learn how to define the performance gap before you say a word, how to open the conversation in under 18 seconds, how to give the other person space to respond without losing control of the room, and how to close with documented expectations and a clear plan. The companion workbook walks you through each step so you can prepare for a real conversation. One you may already have waiting for you.
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Define the Gap
Convert frustration into facts. Observable behavior. Specific dates. Measurable impact. You walk into the conversation with evidence, not emotion.
Initiate with Intention
Open the conversation in under 18 seconds. One question. No preamble. No softening. The first words out of your mouth set the tone for everything that follows.
Receive Perspective
Ask one question, then stop talking. What they say next will change your approach. Most leaders skip this step and the conversation goes sideways.
Establish Clear Expectations
State exactly what needs to change, by when, and what happens if it doesn't. No ambiguity. No "I'd like you to try harder." Specific. Measurable. Documented.
Commit to a Plan
Leave the conversation with three things documented: what changes, who owns it, and by when. No plan means no accountability. No accountability means you will be having this conversation again in 60 days.
Track and Follow Up
Send a summary email within 24 hours. Schedule the next check-in before either of you leaves the room. Follow-through is where the conversation becomes real.
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Why I built this.
I spent 20 years as an emergency physician and ED Medical Director. In the ER, unclear communication doesn't just slow a team down. It puts patients at risk. That experience shaped everything about how I teach leadership communication. Not as theory. As a set of specific, practiced behaviors that work under pressure, in real conversations, with real consequences. I'm a Certified High-Performance Coach and I work with newly promoted and emerging leaders who are managing teams for the first time and need to communicate with clarity, confidence, and credibility. Not someday. Now. I built The Conversation You've Been Avoiding because it is the single most common problem my coaching clients bring to me. They have someone on their team whose performance isn't where it needs to be, they know they need to have the conversation, and they don't know what to say. This course gives them the exact words. It is a framework you can learn in an hour and use this week.
Here's what you get
60 minutes of video instruction. Four modules that walk you through the complete DIRECT framework, from mindset to execution. Watch at your own pace. Revisit any section when a new situation comes up. The companion workbook. A fill-in-the-blank prep guide that walks you through each step for a specific conversation. Print it. Fill it out. Walk into the room prepared. The exact opening lines. Word-for-word language for the hardest part of the conversation: the first 18 seconds. You will know what to say before you sit down. A complete conversation walkthrough. Module 4 takes you through an entire conversation from open to close so you can see how all six steps connect in real time. Lifetime access. Buy once. Come back every time you need to prepare for a new conversation.
$97.00
What people are saying
The framework works. Here's what happened when leaders used it.
Before this course, I would delay difficult conversations or soften feedback because I didn’t want to make things uncomfortable. I now understand that clarity is kindness, and I feel more confident being direct while still being supportive. The Direct Framework gives you the mindset shift, the structure and the specific words to handle conversations in a clear and thoughtful way. I’d tell any new leader that this course will not only impact the way you lead your team, but will change the way you show up in every conversation.
Massachusetts
The Direct Conversation program was extremely meaningful and useful. Anyone in a leadership position should take this course. It gives concrete steps and examples to have these difficult conversations. I will be a better leader because of this course!
Illinois
"Harry clearly explains the importance of approaching these discussions with purpose. His insights on staying objective rather than subjective are incredibly valuable, and he highlights how essential it is to truly listen to employees' perspectives. He also provides practical guidance on how to move forward after the initial discussion."
Illinois
Curriculum
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1
The Conversation You've Been Avoiding
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(Included in full purchase)
Module 1: Why Leaders Avoid This Conversation (And What It Costs)
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(Included in full purchase)
Module 2: The DIRECT Framework - Six Steps, Start to Finish
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(Included in full purchase)
Module 3: The Exact Words - What to Say and What Not to Say
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(Included in full purchase)
Module 4: The Full Conversation - A Complete Walkthrough You Can Use This Week
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(Included in full purchase)
Questions before you start
Is this just theory, or do I get actual words to use? You get exact language. Module 3 is called "The Words" for a reason. You will know what to say in the first 18 seconds, how to respond when they push back, and how to close with clear expectations. The companion workbook lets you fill in the blanks for your specific conversation before you walk into the room. What if my situation is different from the examples? The DIRECT framework is a structure, not a script. It works for underperformance, missed expectations, behavior issues, and role clarity conversations. The principles are the same. The workbook helps you adapt the language to your specific person and situation. How long do I have access? Lifetime. Buy once, come back every time you have a new conversation to prepare for. I've been a leader for years. Is this only for new managers? The framework was built for newly promoted leaders, but the problem it solves -- avoiding a conversation you know you need to have -- has no experience requirement. If you have been postponing a specific conversation, this course gives you the structure and the language to have it this week. What if it doesn't work? If you go through the course, use the framework, and it doesn't help you have a clearer, more productive conversation, email me directly at [email protected]. I stand behind this work.
The conversation isn't going to have itself.
You have been thinking about this long enough. The framework is here. The language is ready. The only thing left is the decision.
$97.00