We bring the bravest parts of ourselves to work when two things exist:
there's a sense of safety and trust in the work environment
we see the significance our individual work brings to the greater collective
A fundamental driver of these two things is how we communicate, both as leaders and as team members.
How we navigate conversations, give and receive feedback drives the quality of the work we do, individually and as a team.
The greatest of our efforts at work can be undermined when communication is off.
of employees want feedback -both positive and negative
State of Employee Engagement. 2016 Officevibe Inc.
of managers hesitate giving feedback because of potential impact on the other's well-being
Globis Ltd. 2013 Survey
of employees feel extremely confident voicing their concerns at work in critical moments
VitalSmarts, LC. 2016 Study
Notice a disconnect?
This disconnect is where:
fires are being put out,
elephants are consuming too much space in rooms,
contract bids are lost; and
targets and timelines are missed
When we are afraid to speak up, our culture and financial performance suffers
Normalizing Hard Conversations at Work is a system developed to close that gap and communication breakdown. We bring so many parts of us to work - personal life experiences, cultural norms and stories, and generational norms and expectations. All of these influence our inherent communication tendencies. Normalizing Hard Conversations at Work improves the flow of communication within your team so relationships and camaraderie flourish.
Drop the awkwardness and reservation around having hard conversations
I'm Rena Williams, and I work with culture-focused companies to drop the awkwardness and reservation around hard conversations so your team thrives. I design and deliver workshops that are customized to your unique culture and aligned with your business objectives.
Whether it’s a 60-minute delivery or a full-day workshop, attendees walk away with tools, strategies and support to produce amazing results because those elephants have vanished and the fires being put out are becoming less and less.
The framework for some of the most requested workshops are:
Steering Hard Conversations for Optimal Results. Secure your desired outcome without sacrificing productivity or camaraderie.
Powerful Conversations for the New Leader. Yesterday you were their colleague, today you’re their boss. How to use powerful conversations as a foundational element to leading confidently and effectively.
Managing Hard Conversations and Effective Feedback. How courage, awareness and collaborative leadership act as drivers to deliver feedback where your message actually lands and you feel heard, as well as speaking up without being perceived as a complainer.
The Mindful Leader. The key for any leader is to amplify those around you. How to harness focus, clarity and self-awareness to lead and influence others.
Available delivery modes:
Onsite - at your office
Offsite - corporate meetings and retreats
Virtually - perfect for distributed or remote teams
To book a workshop for your next event or to talk about your unique needs, let’s connect.
“I don’t believe leadership has anything to do with a job title. I believe a leader is someone who is responsible for their world. And it’s how they take this responsibility on that inspires others to follow them.”
About Me
Spending over 16 years working as a professional accountant for some of Canada’s top organizations, I’ve experienced a variety of workplace cultures and management styles.
I’ve seen firsthand how our daily communication and interactions shape creativity, idea generation and the ability to find impactful solutions to everyday problems. These interactions shape culture and how we function collectively as a team.
Coupled with my insatiable curiosity for understanding why we do what we do, what motivates us, what drives behaviour, my co-active coaches training and courageous leadership training with Brené Brown, I have insights on how to have powerful conversations that shape a thriving culture.
It brings me total delight to help teams work better together.
“Had what felt like 50 tough conversations and rumbles at work this week. Outcome: more trust, more connection, more accountability, more focus. Deeply grateful for the people who keep showing up.”
“Rena is not only the perfect collaborator with a clear, articulate vision, creative spirit, and the amazing ability to make you feel trusted (which always lets me do even better work) but she has a unique, sophisticated service that I came to regard with a lot of respect... She’s that rare professional that exudes quality while remaining completely approachable. I’m confident that whether one is hiring Rena or going to work for her, the experience is bound to be equally enriching.”