Decoded Series: Toxic or Tough? Practise the Hard Conversation

A hands-on evening in Birmingham: sort real workplace scenarios with other people, then practise the words for raising a problem. IMPORTANT: NO PITCHING FROM HOST OR AUDIENCE. BUSINESS CARDS OR LINKEDIN CAN BE EXCHANGED. Most people can tell when something at work is wrong. Far fewer know what to say about it, and very few have ever practised saying it out loud. This session is two hours long and takes place in a room in Birmingham, where you work on it with other people. In the first half you sort real workplace scenarios with a partner and decide which are toxic and which are tough but fair, using a three-question test. A situation is far easier to judge from the outside, and the cards people disagree on teach the most. In the second half you practise a three-part way of raising a problem: what happened, the effect it had, and what you need from now on. You say the words to another person, hear how they land, and then swap. You will leave with a test you can apply to your own workplace, a script you have already used once, an outside view on a situation of your own if you choose to bring one, and a one-page guide to keep. It works whether you lead a team or not, and you will not be asked to share anything personal. I’m Piroska, founder of Organised Minds. I hold an MSc in Organisational and Business Psychology, my research examined organisational silence and what stops people speaking up at work, and I have seen these workplaces from the inside across seven industries. Access: this venue is not step-free. The studio is on the fourth floor. A lift goes to the third floor and a short flight of stairs leads up to the studio, with no alternative route. AGENDA 18:30 Doors open Drinks (no alcohol), gift bags and a first hello. 18:45 Welcome and introduction Who I am, how the evening works, and why the line between a tough job and a toxic one is so hard to see from the inside. 19:00 The test Three questions for telling a toxic workplace from a tough one, and the signs to look for. 19:10 Exercise 1: Toxic or tough? In pairs, sort real workplace scenarios, then compare the ones that split the room. 19:30 How to raise a problem The three-part conversation, with a version for people who lead a team and people who do not. 19:45 Exercise 2: Practise the conversation Say it to a partner, hear how it lands, then swap. 20:00 Your questions 20:15 Meet the room Fifteen minutes to talk to the other people there. No selling. 20:30 Close Founding session price: £30. Places are capped at 20, so book yours now. IMPORTANT: Please read the FAQ and if you have further questions don't hesitate to reach out to [email protected]