The Art and Science of Difficult Conversations

In this insightful interview, Gift Tshuma shares practical strategies for inclusive leadership, effective advocacy, and navigating difficult conversations in the workplace. Discover how to approach accessibility issues, support marginalized employees, and foster a more inclusive environment. Key topics: Inclusive leadership strategies Advocacy and storytelling, Handling difficult workplace conversations Role of HR in diversity and inclusion Mediation and escalation processes Guest Gift Tshuma (He/Him) Advocacy Specialist, March of Dimes Canada Co-Executive Director, Blurring the Boundaries — an organization creating accessible digital instruments for people with disabilities (UK & Canada) Co-Founder, Tshuma Consulting — accessibility assessments, training, and strategic consulting EDI Officer, The Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts Musician & Artist — R&B/Gospel singer, co-founder of United Tribulation Choir, trained in classical and jazz vocals, mentored by Oliver Jones Originally from Zimbabwe, based in Canada 35+ years of lived experience and 17+ years of leadership in accessibility & inclusion LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gift-tshuma Connect with the Hosts Email – [email protected] Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

Episode Overview In this powerful Part 1 conversation, hosts Chris Wong and Lucie Tesarova sit down with Gift Tshuma — disability rights advocate, accessibility specialist, musician, and co-founder of Tshuma Consulting — to explore what advocacy really means, why storytelling is its foundation, and how to navigate the difficult conversations that come with pushing for inclusion in organizations and systems that weren't designed for everyone. Guest Gift Tshuma (He/Him) Advocacy Specialist, March of Dimes Canada Co-Executive Director, Blurring the Boundaries — an organization creating accessible digital instruments for people with disabilities (UK & Canada) Co-Founder, Tshuma Consulting — accessibility assessments, training, and strategic consulting EDI Officer, The Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts Musician & Artist — R&B/Gospel singer, co-founder of United Tribulation Choir, trained in classical and jazz vocals, mentored by Oliver Jones Originally from Zimbabwe, based in Canada 35+ years of lived experience and 17+ years of leadership in accessibility & inclusion LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gift-tshuma Key Topics Discussed Advocacy as storytelling and influence Overcoming fear and internal barriers Strategic influence and systemic change Notable Quotes "Access isn't something that you just give. It's not served on a silver platter. You have to fight for it. And you have to sometimes build it yourself." "Advocacy isn't charity work. It's not about being a hero. It's about shifting the power and building disability literacy." "When you are not telling your story, you are robbing someone for their life to be changed." "I'm not arguing about ramps or software. I'm arguing about whose time matters, whose comfort level matters, whose productivity is treated as a default." "We are community-based beings that need support from everyone. Don't be ashamed to ask for help." This Week's Challenge Pick one thing you've been wanting to advocate for. Be it at work, in your community, or in your personal life, and practice telling that story to someone you trust. Start in a low-stakes environment, just like Gift did. Get comfortable with your story before you bring it to the room that needs to hear it. Connect with the Hosts Email – [email protected] Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment Next Episode Preview Coming Next Week: Part 2 of our conversation with Gift Tshuma — including role play scenarios that bring these advocacy conversations to life. Remember: When you communicate better, you live better.

Summary:  In part 2 of their conversation, Chris, Lucie, and Travis walk through practical strategies for having difficult conversations, asking effective questions, and improving communication in leadership. They also role play a performance conversation to show how asking questions and remaining curious can lead to powerful insights.  In this episode, learn how to:  Ask questions instead of making assumptions to understand others better.  Use silence intentionally to give space for processing during conversations.  Frame questions to avoid defensiveness, especially with sensitive topics.  Prepare for difficult conversations by scheduling positive activities afterward.  Practice curiosity and ask 'what' and 'how' questions to explore motivations.     About Travis: Travis Dalrymple is a leadership advisor, author of How To Suck As A Leader, and the founder of The Leadership Lab—a program that helps small business owners and team leads stop managing people and start actually leading them. From placing 3rd on America’s Got Talent to leading high-performing teams in the business world, Travis blends entertainment, strategy, and real-life leadership lessons to help people become the kind of leader others actually want to follow—not just tolerate. He’s coached over 1000 entrepreneurs, fixed broken cultures, and taught teams how to lead themselves first, without the corporate jargon or BS. When he’s not coaching or speaking, you’ll find him golfing, hanging out with his family, or turning hard truths into Instagram reels.    You can find him on IG @travdalrymple and you can grab your copy of How To Suck As A Leader at https://bit.ly/HowToSuckAsALeader.  How to Suck as a Leader (Book) - https://a.co/d/09hOMoHQ Travis Dalrymple on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisdalrymple    Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

Summary: This week, join Lucie and Chris as they interview Travis Dalrymple, a leadership coach and former entertainer, who shares his unconventional journey through various careers.  He wrote a fun leadership book “How to Suck As a Leader” and shares his insights on leadership, communication, and culture, and practical strategies for difficult conversations and creating a positive organizational environment. He talks us through: -          Why leaders tend to over-complicate things -          Most organizational cultures are unintentional and reflect the personality of the leader. -          How to get better at identifying your blind spots. -          How to communicate more clearly -          How to prepare for hard conversations   About Travis: Travis Dalrymple is a leadership advisor, author of How To Suck As A Leader, and the founder of The Leadership Lab—a program that helps small business owners and team leads stop managing people and start actually leading them. From placing 3rd on America’s Got Talent to leading high-performing teams in the business world, Travis blends entertainment, strategy, and real-life leadership lessons to help people become the kind of leader others actually want to follow—not just tolerate. He’s coached over 1000 entrepreneurs, fixed broken cultures, and taught teams how to lead themselves first, without the corporate jargon or BS. When he’s not coaching or speaking, you’ll find him golfing, hanging out with his family, or turning hard truths into Instagram reels.    You can find him on IG @travdalrymple and you can grab your copy of How To Suck As A Leader at https://bit.ly/HowToSuckAsALeader.  How to Suck as a Leader (Book) - https://a.co/d/09hOMoHQ Travis Dalrymple on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisdalrymple  Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

In part 2 of their interview with Roberta Dombrowski, Chris and Lucie pick her brain on how to deal with the guilt trips and the reality that sometimes these conversations happen over and over again – often pushing your boundaries.  Roberta was so nice to role play with us and Chris and Lucie had SO MUCH FUN channeling their own moms to really see how to better handle these conversations.  Listen as they talk about:  -          How to deliver difficult news to your parents -          Techniques for boundary setting and maintaining peace -          Handling family pushback and guilt tripping -          Grounding and embodiment practices for presence -          Expect and accept emotional reactions as part of the process. -          Revisiting conversations over time helps in acceptance.     About Roberta Roberta Dombrowski is a dynamic coach, consultant and mindfulness teacher dedicated to helping leaders thrive from the inside out. She has over a decade of experience spanning tech, non-profits, and academia. Her work has been featured by the Association of Talent Development, Learning Guild, and Product School. She holds PCC accreditation through the International Coaching Federation, CPCC through Co-Active Training Institute. Her unique approach blends the wisdom of the head, heart, and body - guiding clients to rediscover joy, resilience, and connection in their work and lives.  By fostering deeper self-awareness and authentic leadership, Roberta helps individuals reshape how they relate to their careers, themselves, and their teams. Her personal experience as a transracial adoptee and over functioning tech executive heavily influences her approach to business.  Resources Roberta’s In Her Words Podcast - https://www.learnmindfully.co/in-her-words Roberta’s Website - https://learnmindfully.co Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents (Book) - https://a.co/d/06JpDwi4 (we’re not affiliates and have no connection to this book or author) Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

Summary: In this week’s episode, Chris and Lucie get the privilege to interview Roberta Dombrowski, a coach who helps leaders function at their best.  She’s also experienced in setting boundaries, both at work and in her personal life.  she shares her journey from burnout to coaching, focusing on reclaiming confidence, setting boundaries, and improving communication in personal and professional relationships. In part 1 of their interview, learn why it’s so hard to set boundaries and what it takes to confidently step into them. Key Takeaways  Boundaries are for yourself, not others.  Family boundaries often meet resistance but are essential.  Self-awareness and coaching help navigate complex family dynamics.  Patterns from childhood influence adult boundary-setting.  Revisiting difficult conversations multiple times leads to understanding.   Follow Roberta LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertadombrowski Website - https://www.robertadombrowski.com In Her Words podcast - https://www.learnmindfully.co/in-her-words   Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

Rachel Platt shares practical strategies for addressing disrespectful behavior, giving effective feedback, and fostering respectful workplace environments. This episode covers handling difficult conversations, timing feedback, and maintaining emotional regulation.   Connect with Rachel: [email protected] https://calendly.com/plattinumconsulting/intro-networking  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelplatt/  www.PLATTinumconsulting.com About Rachel:  Rachel Platt brings 20+ years of experience helping organizations and individuals achieve enduring success through strategic human resources leadership. Through her roles as a Chief Human Resources Officer, Vice President, and Regional Director in diverse organizational structures and industries, she built her reputation on her track record of developing pragmatic solutions to meet complex organizational and people challenges. Rachel founded PLATTinum Consulting in 2018 to guide leaders in creating People Strategy initiatives in the areas of employee engagement, leadership development, culture assessment and improvement, performance management, staff training, communications, talent acquisition, HR process improvement, inclusion and coaching.  As a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE), PLATTinum serves small and medium sized non-profits and commercial businesses across the US. PLATTinum partners with clients to maintain a transparent, ongoing, open dialogue. We provide a data-driven, responsive, organized approach.  But most importantly, we are proactive, optimistic, approachable and occasionally funny. We place outcomes before egos and work with clients who share similar values.    Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

In this conversation, Chris Wong and Lucie Tesarova engage with Rachel Platt, a people strategist, to explore the dynamics of difficult conversations in the workplace. They discuss the importance of addressing disrespectful behavior, the role of leaders in fostering a respectful culture, and the balance between achieving results and maintaining a positive work environment.   Rachel shares insights on navigating difficult conversations, identifying signs of disrespect, and modeling appropriate leadership behavior. The discussion emphasizes the need for curiosity, understanding, and proactive communication in creating a healthy workplace culture.   Takeaways: Rachel Platt helps organizations move past HR as paperwork. A people strategist focuses on aligning people strategy with business strategy. Curiosity is key in addressing difficult conversations. Disrespectful behavior often gets minimized in organizations. Leaders must recognize the impact of their silence on culture. High performers can create a different set of rules in the workplace. Addressing disrespect early can prevent larger issues. Intent matters, but the impact of words is more significant. Leaders should set clear expectations for respectful behavior. Creating a culture of respect enhances employee engagement and retention.\  Connect with Rachel: [email protected] https://calendly.com/plattinumconsulting/intro-networking  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelplatt/  www.PLATTinumconsulting.com About Rachel:  Rachel Platt brings 20+ years of experience helping organizations and individuals achieve enduring success through strategic human resources leadership. Through her roles as a Chief Human Resources Officer, Vice President, and Regional Director in diverse organizational structures and industries, she built her reputation on her track record of developing pragmatic solutions to meet complex organizational and people challenges. Rachel founded PLATTinum Consulting in 2018 to guide leaders in creating People Strategy initiatives in the areas of employee engagement, leadership development, culture assessment and improvement, performance management, staff training, communications, talent acquisition, HR process improvement, inclusion and coaching.  As a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE), PLATTinum serves small and medium sized non-profits and commercial businesses across the US. PLATTinum partners with clients to maintain a transparent, ongoing, open dialogue. We provide a data-driven, responsive, organized approach.  But most importantly, we are proactive, optimistic, approachable and occasionally funny. We place outcomes before egos and work with clients who share similar values.  Chapters   00:00 Introduction to the Conversation 00:57 The Journey into HR and People Strategy 04:51 Navigating Difficult Conversations 12:42 Identifying Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace 16:51 Balancing Results and Respect in Leadership 20:00 The Impact of Communication on Workplace Culture 23:58 Self-Reflection and Understanding Triggers 27:39 Understanding Intent vs. Impact 29:23 The Leader's Responsibility in Addressing Disrespect Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

How do you tell someone they are not performing at the level you expect or need them to, without crushing them or demotivating them, and instead making them feel supported and motivated to improve?  Hear how Peter Vinge does it in the different performance feedback roleplays with Chris Wong and Lucie Tesarova.  Missed part 1 of this conversation on performance discussions? Check out part 1 here.  takeaways Performance conversations can be approached without discomfort. Role-playing scenarios can help practice feedback delivery. Empathy is crucial in leadership and team dynamics. Leaders should focus on facts rather than emotions during feedback. Creating a safe environment encourages open communication. Empowering team members leads to better performance outcomes. Self-leadership is essential for effective management. Understanding individual challenges can improve team dynamics. Clear expectations help align team goals and performance. Building rapport is key to successful leadership. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Performance Conversations 00:06 Role-Playing Difficult Conversations 07:15 Empathy in Leadership 15:25 Building Empathy and Understanding in Leadership 19:31 The Importance of Self-Leadership   About Peter Vinge Peter Vinge is the founder of TORBAY Consulting and a leadership advisor focused on helping leaders have clear, confident, and productive conversations. He works with executives and teams to strengthen accountability, alignment, and culture by addressing challenges head-on. www.TORBAYConsulting.com  https://www.linkedin.com/company/torbayconsulting  Connect with us: Email – [email protected] – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for LeadersLucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment