CSI Exchange: Handling Difficult Conversations

CSI Exchange is a series of practical workshops for SMEs, start‑ups & alumni businesses, delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Innovation.

This practical workshop supports leaders to approach difficult conversations with greater confidence, clarity and empathy. It focuses on understanding why conversations feel challenging and how to navigate them in ways that maintain trust, respect and positive working relationships.

Participants will explore common leadership scenarios such as performance issues, conflict, resistance to change and emotionally charged discussions, and will learn simple frameworks and techniques to prepare for, structure and lead conversations more effectively.

Key themes include:

• Why difficult conversations feel difficult
• Managing emotions (yours and others’) under pressure
• Preparing for and structuring challenging conversations
• Balancing honesty with empathy
• Responding to defensiveness, resistance and conflict
• Building confidence and consistency in conversation skills

Participants leave with practical tools and increased confidence to handle difficult conversations in a constructive, human-centred way.

The workshop will run from 10am-12pm, and participants are invited afterwards to stay for a light lunch.

Facilitator: Dr Ann Mulhaney, Associate Professor for Change Management

Dr Ann Mulhaney is the Associate Professor for Change Management at the Salford Business School’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation. Ann has both an academic and industry background working for both small and large businesses across the region.

What is CSI Exchange?

CSI Exchange is a practical knowledge exchange workshop series delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Salford.

Designed for SMEs, start‑ups, alumni businesses and CSI affiliates, the series brings together academic expertise and real‑world practice to support sustainable growth, effective leadership and digital capability.

Each workshop focuses on practical tools, usable frameworks and shared learning, helping businesses navigate uncertainty, develop confident leaders, design impactful sustainability projects and build resilient strategies for today’s fast‑changing economy.

Sessions are led by University of Salford specialists alongside experienced external practitioners, creating space for open discussion, peer learning and immediate application.

Whether you are scaling a business, embedding sustainability, strengthening leadership capability or adapting to digital change, CSI Exchange offers accessible, insight‑led support for small and medium‑sized enterprises.

You can explore the other workshops in this series through the CSI Exchange series collection.