Leading with high-PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS PROGRAM

ENABLING LEADERS TO COMMUNICATE WITH COURAGE, CLARITY, AND PROFESSIONALISM ‍

Program overview

The Leading with High-Impact Conversations Program is designed to strengthen the capability of leaders to confidently navigate courageous, constructive, and often challenging workplace conversations. Effective leadership requires the ability to communicate clearly, address issues early, provide meaningful feedback, and create conversations that strengthen accountability, performance, and trust. This program equips leaders with the practical skills and frameworks required to lead conversations with professionalism, empathy, and intent.

Grounded in practical leadership application, the program introduces participants to the SBI (Situation–Behaviour–Impact) feedback framework and other communication approaches that support clear, respectful, and outcome-focused conversations. Leaders develop greater awareness of how communication style, language, timing, and emotional responses influence the effectiveness of workplace interactions and leadership outcomes.

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH
HIGH-IMPACT COMMUNICATION

The program focuses on strengthening leadership communication across a range of workplace situations, including feedback conversations, performance discussions, accountability conversations, and difficult interpersonal interactions. Participants strengthen their capability to approach conversations with greater clarity, structure, emotional intelligence, and confidence while maintaining trust and professionalism.

The learning experience is highly practical, reflective, and immediately applicable to real workplace environments. Through facilitated discussion, practical activities, peer learning, and applied leadership exercises, participants develop communication capability that supports stronger relationships, clearer expectations, improved accountability, and more effective leadership outcomes.

PROGRAM delivery

The Leading with High-Impact Conversations Program is delivered using the Australian Leadership Academy’s blended, experiential learning approach, combining self-paced prework, high-impact facilitated workshops, applied application, and reflective learning. This structured approach ensures participants arrive prepared, maximise in-session learning, and actively apply leadership capability within their own organisational context throughout the learning journey. Each stage is intentionally designed to progressively build capability while reinforcing practical workplace application and sustained leadership impact.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Leading with High-Impact Conversations Program develops the practical leadership capability required to confidently lead clear, constructive, and outcome-focused workplace conversations. Participants strengthen communication capability, feedback effectiveness, emotional awareness, and their ability to navigate challenging conversations with professionalism and confidence.

  • Understand the principles and foundations of high-impact leadership conversations

  • Demonstrate communication behaviours that support clarity, trust, and accountability

  • Apply the SBI (Situation–Behaviour–Impact) framework to feedback conversations

  • Strengthen capability to lead courageous and constructive workplace discussions

  • Build confidence in navigating difficult conversations and interpersonal tension

  • Apply practical communication strategies to support performance and behavioural accountability

  • Strengthen active listening, emotional awareness, and communication presence

  • Reflect on personal communication style and opportunities for leadership growth

BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY TO LEAD WITH CLEAR, CONFIDENT, IMPACTFUL CONVERSATIONS

Program structure

  • Participants begin their journey with a curated set of prework activities designed to introduce key concepts related to leadership communication, feedback, and courageous conversations. This includes short readings, video content, reflective questions, and self-assessment activities focused on communication effectiveness, leadership behaviours, and workplace conversation challenges.

  • The program formally commences with a live, facilitator-led virtual session. This interactive introduction establishes the learning environment, outlines program expectations, and introduces the foundations of high-impact conversations and effective leadership communication. Participants begin exploring communication dynamics, feedback approaches, and the importance of clarity, trust, and accountability within workplace conversations.

  • Participants complete targeted prework designed to deepen awareness of personal communication patterns, feedback approaches, and workplace conversation challenges. This includes reflective exercises, workplace observation activities, and preparation of real leadership conversations participants will bring into the workshop for discussion and application.

  • A highly interactive, face-to-face learning experience focused on understanding the foundations of high-impact leadership conversations and their role in communication effectiveness, accountability, and team performance. Participants explore the SBI feedback framework, communication dynamics, emotional awareness, and practical strategies for leading courageous conversations with clarity and professionalism. Through facilitated discussion, practical activities, peer learning, and workplace application exercises, participants strengthen their capability to deliver constructive feedback, navigate difficult discussions, and communicate more effectively across a range of leadership situations.

  • Participants complete reflective and application-focused activities linked to the implementation of Workshop 1 learning within their workplace context. The prework encourages leaders to reflect on workplace conversations, feedback interactions, communication challenges, and opportunities to apply high-impact conversation principles more intentionally and effectively.

  • The second workshop builds on foundational learning and focuses on strengthening the leadership behaviours and communication strategies required to lead high-impact conversations consistently over time. Participants deepen their capability in facilitating performance conversations, navigating emotionally charged discussions, supporting accountability, and maintaining constructive workplace relationships during challenging interactions. The workshop includes practical frameworks, facilitated discussion, and applied leadership activities designed to support sustainable behavioural change and stronger communication outcomes.

Note: The program structure above is a draft delivery option. The Australian Leadership Academy can design a bespoke Leading with
High-Performance Conversations Program tailored to meet the specific needs of your organisation.

PROGRAM IMPACT

The Leading with High-Impact Conversations Program strengthens leadership capability to communicate with greater clarity, confidence, and effectiveness across workplace environments. Participants develop stronger awareness of how communication behaviours influence trust, accountability, relationships, and team performance outcomes.

The program supports leaders to move beyond avoidance or reactive communication approaches and develop more intentional, structured, and constructive leadership conversations. Participants strengthen their ability to provide feedback effectively, navigate difficult discussions professionally, and create environments where open and respectful communication is encouraged.

At an organisational level, the program contributes to stronger communication capability, improved feedback culture, increased accountability, and healthier workplace relationships. Leaders are better equipped to create environments where courageous conversations strengthen trust, alignment, collaboration, and sustainable organisational performance.

LEADING WITH
HIGH-IMPACT CONVERSATIONS
TO BUILD TRUST, ACCOUNTABILITY,
AND LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS

What our clients say

  • “Another great session, the facilitator was engaging and tapped into the group’s energy levels. understood when to dig deeper versus when to hold back”

    Lessa Bryant
    Coordinator, Operations People & Culture

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • ”it’s been great to expand my leadership knowledge, enhanced with practical, relevant experience”

    Emilia Rixon
    Coordinator, Marketing & Communications

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “excellent facilitator, great discussion amongst the group, collaborative learning and very practical skills to use”

    Mags Noonan
    Coordinator, Health & Wellbeing

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “appreciated the delivery, awareness of tools and techniques to help with navigating conversations and confrontation”

    Anna Newell
    Team Leader, Economic Development

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “Awesome! Extremely insightful information that will facilitate some of those challenging conversations”

    Nicole Chegwyn
    Team Leader, Building Certification

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “Making coaching a part of my regular catch UPS”

    Laura Murphy
    Manager, Parks

    Hobsons Bay City Council

  • “love the energy and practicality”

    Janet Dawes
    Manager, Arts, Culture & Community

    Hobsons Bay City Council

  • “excellent as always, connected with participants, engaging, varied approach using tools to help all learning styles”

    Natasha Beer
    Manager, Operations People & Culture

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • "The high-Performance conversation approach to leadership has strengthened my supervision practice, and develop capability within the teams i lead"

    Christopher Turner
    Program Practice Coordinator

    Wellways

CONTACT US

For further information or to arrange a meeting with our team, please complete the Contact Us form.

Email: office@australianleadershipacademy.com.au

Telephone (03) 9517 6771