Course description

Difficult conversations can arise when expectations diverge, deadlines are missed, fees are questioned, or the client is not ready to hear the advice they need.

As tension rises, even experienced professionals can find themselves reacting. Frustration, defensiveness, and anxiety can take over on both sides of the conversation, making it harder to address the real issues.

These are high-stakes moments. How they are handled can affect the quality of the work, and the future of the client relationship.

In this practical 90-minute session, attendees will learn to how to recognize and disrupt escalation and respond in ways that strengthen the client relationship.

Agenda

  • Understanding what’s happening in our brains, and our clients’ brains in difficult moments
  • Recognizing early signs that a client conversation is heading sideways
  • Applying a practical two-switch model to restore productive dialogue
  • Using a diagnostic framework to identify what is driving the tension beneath the surface

      1. Presentation

      2. Recording

    About this course

    • $69.00
    • 1.5 PD hours
    • September 22, 2026

    Instructor(s)

    Matt McKenna

    Matt McKenna is a conflict and team dynamics expert who helps professionals navigate difficult conversations, rebuild trust, and address tensions before they damage important working relationships.

    A Qualified Mediator and seasoned facilitator, Matt brings practical tools for understanding what drives conflict, reducing defensiveness, and helping people move from reaction to productive dialogue. His path began on stage as a touring musician, where collaboration, communication, and working through tension were essential.

    Matt has also built and led teams across multiple countries, including building and leading a large foundational team in Ontario’s provincial COVID-19 response. Today, he works with leaders and organizations to handle conflict with greater clarity and confidence while protecting the relationships their work depends on.