Elevation Occ Psy

Elevation Occ Psy Empowering inclusive workplaces through evidence-based occupational psychology and workplace health

When people hear “difficult conversation”, they often imagine conflict or breakdown.Yet many participants in my research...
14/12/2025

When people hear “difficult conversation”, they often imagine conflict or breakdown.
Yet many participants in my research described positive experiences. When handled thoughtfully, these conversations led to increased trust, clearer relationships and stronger teams.
Discomfort was still present, but it became productive. People understood each other better, expectations were clarified and long-standing issues were resolved.
This reframe matters. Difficult conversations are not just something to survive. They can be turning points.

“Be brave” is common advice around difficult conversations.The intention is usually encouraging, but it places the burde...
13/12/2025

“Be brave” is common advice around difficult conversations.
The intention is usually encouraging, but it places the burden on individuals to overcome fear in systems that may not be safe.
Bravery should not be the price of accountability. If people have to be heroic in order to speak honestly, something is wrong with the environment.
Our aim should be workplaces where people can raise issues as a normal part of how we work together, not as an act of personal courage every time.

We sometimes talk about “open conversations” as if everyone in the room has the same level of comfort and power.In reali...
12/12/2025

We sometimes talk about “open conversations” as if everyone in the room has the same level of comfort and power.
In reality, every conversation is shaped by hierarchy, perceived consequences, cultural norms and questions of identity and belonging.
If these dynamics are ignored, people will self-censor. They say what feels safe rather than what feels true.
Designing for better conversations means acknowledging power, not pretending it is not there. It also means paying attention to whose voices are missing or quieter.

People often ask for “the right words” for difficult conversations.In my research, what made the biggest difference was ...
11/12/2025

People often ask for “the right words” for difficult conversations.
In my research, what made the biggest difference was not a single phrase, but a set of small, human micro-skills:
taking time to check readiness,
framing a shared purpose,
signalling both care and accountability,
slowing the pace of the conversation,
and naming emotion in a safe and respectful way.
These are small actions, but together they create a sense of being seen, heard and treated fairly. That is what allows the harder parts of the conversation to land.

When conversations feel difficult, many organisations reach for more communication training.Training can help, but it do...
10/12/2025

When conversations feel difficult, many organisations reach for more communication training.
Training can help, but it does not touch the heart of the problem if the environment remains unsafe or inconsistent.
What people actually need is relational safety, clarity of expectations, consistent leadership behaviour and systems that do not punish honesty.
Without these foundations, new scripts and models sit on top of a fragile base. The message from my research is clear: do not start with the toolkit. Start with the conditions.

Line managers are often described as “poor communicators”. My research suggested something different.Managers were not a...
09/12/2025

Line managers are often described as “poor communicators”. My research suggested something different.
Managers were not avoiding conversations because they lacked skill. They were struggling because they were pressed for time, unclear about expectations, unsure of organisational backing and, in many cases, did not feel psychologically safe themselves.
When you combine responsibility for people with constant operational pressure, it is not surprising that difficult conversations slip down the list.
If we want managers to communicate well, we have to design roles and systems that give them the clarity, capacity and support to do so.

✨ As we wrap up another big year at Elevation Occ Psy…It’s been a wonderful, busy, and deeply meaningful 12 months, fill...
09/12/2025

✨ As we wrap up another big year at Elevation Occ Psy…
It’s been a wonderful, busy, and deeply meaningful 12 months, filled with courageous conversations, inspiring clients, and the privilege of supporting organisations as they elevate the way they work and lead.

With so much growth and connection behind us (and a lot of exciting plans ahead), we’re signing off a little early this year to pause, breathe, and spend some quality time on family adventures.

But we’re not disappearing completely, we’ve scheduled plenty of reflections, insights, and bite-sized wisdom to keep you company over the break.

Thank you to everyone we’ve worked with, collaborated with, or crossed paths with in 2025. Your trust and partnership mean the world.

Wishing you a restorative, joyful, and gentle end to the year.

Here’s to more learning, elevating, and evolving together in 2026. 🌟
Warmly,
The Elevation Occ Psy Team

By the time a difficult conversation happens, many people are already tired.In my study, participants described hours, s...
08/12/2025

By the time a difficult conversation happens, many people are already tired.
In my study, participants described hours, sometimes days, of preparation that nobody else saw. They rehearsed what to say, predicted reactions, managed their own emotions and weighed up the political and relational risks.
This is emotional labour. It is quiet, often invisible, and it takes energy.
Organisations rarely account for this. Yet it affects wellbeing, confidence and the timing of conversations. When we recognise this labour, we understand more clearly why people feel drained by “just a quick chat”.
Support for difficult conversations should start well before the meeting begins.

Avoidance is often described as a weakness. In practice, it is usually rational.People avoid difficult conversations whe...
07/12/2025

Avoidance is often described as a weakness. In practice, it is usually rational.
People avoid difficult conversations when the cost feels higher than the benefit. They may be protecting their role, their identity, their belonging in the team or a relationship they value.
From this perspective, avoidance tells us something useful. It is feedback about the system people are working in. If speaking up feels unsafe or unsupported, avoidance is a logical response.
Rather than labelling people as “conflict avoidant”, it can be more helpful to ask what they are protecting and what would need to change for the conversation to feel possible.

When people think of difficult conversations, they often imagine anger or open conflict.In my research, the emotion that...
06/12/2025

When people think of difficult conversations, they often imagine anger or open conflict.
In my research, the emotion that appeared most often was something quieter but more powerful: anticipatory fear.
Fear of impact.
Fear of judgement.
Fear of damaging a relationship or reputation.
This fear shows up long before the meeting goes into the diary. It shapes how people prepare, how long they delay and how much of themselves they are willing to bring into the room.
If we want better conversations, we need to notice and work with this fear, not simply tell people to “be brave”.

We often label anything awkward or uncomfortable at work as a “difficult conversation”, but the topic alone does not mak...
05/12/2025

We often label anything awkward or uncomfortable at work as a “difficult conversation”, but the topic alone does not make it difficult.
In my research, people described difficult conversations in terms of what was at stake for them. It was about emotional risk, relational risk, uncertainty about the outcome and the sense of power difference between the people involved.
A performance discussion might feel routine in one context and deeply difficult in another, depending on these factors.
This matters because it shifts the question from “Why can they not just talk about it?” to “What feels at risk for them if they do?”.

Most people assume difficult conversations fail because someone “didn’t communicate well enough”.But that explanation is...
04/12/2025

Most people assume difficult conversations fail because someone “didn’t communicate well enough”.
But that explanation is too simple, and my research shows something very different.
Conversations usually break down before anyone speaks.
Not because of poor wording or lack of skill, but because the relational and organisational conditions are not in place.
When people do not feel safe, when expectations are unclear, or when power dynamics are ignored, even the best techniques cannot prevent things from unravelling.
This means the real work is not rehearsing the perfect script.
It is shaping the environment so people feel able to show up honestly and constructively.
This shift in understanding changes everything — for teams, for managers, and for organisations.

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