Prepare for and hold a conversation with someone more senior than you with confidence
The Master Level follow-on to Managing Difficult Conversations (Part One): managing conversations with your own manager, exercising judgement in real workplace scenarios, and reading the emotional radar for anger, tears and hard boundaries. Completing this course, alongside Part One, certifies you as a Promoting Excellence Master Practitioner.

What you will be able to do
- Prepare for and hold a conversation with someone more senior than you with confidence
- Recognise when to help a colleague resolve their own conflict, rather than stepping in and taking over
- Respond calmly and skilfully when a conversation meets anger or tears
- Know your own professional boundaries in an emotionally charged conversation
- Apply the five P's, persuasive, positive, polite, professional and persistent, when managing upwards
- Commit to one specific change in how you will handle your next difficult conversation
What is inside
4 modules, 12 lessons, built to be applied at work.
Introduction
- Welcome to Master Level: Managing Difficult Conversations (Part Two)5 min
Module 6: Conversations with the boss
- Managing upwards: why it matters and preparing well5 min
- Managing upwards: our advice6 min
- The five P's and checking your readiness7 min
Module 7: A case study and seven scenarios
- Judgement in practice: don't take over6 min
- Judgement in practice: our view6 min
- Working through real scenarios25 min
- Scenario answers from an HR specialist15 min
Module 8: Final case study, final thoughts
- Gary and unreasonable pressures7 min
- Gary's scenario: our advice and final thoughts7 min
- Reading the emotional radar: anger and tears8 min
- Knowing your boundaries and your commitment10 min
A credential you can prove
Finish the course and earn a 1 CPD hour certificate with its own public verification page. Share it on LinkedIn or attach it to an application; anyone can check it.
Taught by someone who does the work
Education leadership consultant, Promoting Excellence Ltd
- Promoting Excellence Ltd, education leadership consultants
- Specialist in inclusive and adaptive teaching
Jackie Christie is an education leadership consultant with Promoting Excellence Ltd, supporting mainstream schools and colleges to meet the needs of learners with SEND alongside all other learners through inclusive, adaptive practice.