Real Conversations Series

Real Conversations is a growing collection of practical, discussion-based workshops designed for today's workplace. Each course focuses on the conversations leaders, professionals, and teams need to have to create stronger relationships, better decisions, and greater impact.

Grounded in real workplace challenges rather than theory, the series equips participants with actionable tools, fresh perspectives, and the confidence to navigate complexity with clarity and purpose.

Current Courses

Hiring With Strategy — Building a Proactive Talent Approach

Description

Many organizations fall into reactive hiring cycles—scrambling to fill roles quickly without clarity, consistency, or long-term thinking. This course helps leaders and hiring managers break that cycle by building intentional, future-focused hiring strategies that reduce mis-hires, improve candidate experience, and align talent decisions with business goals. Participants will explore how urgency-driven hiring creates bias, inconsistency, and poor outcomes—and learn how to replace it with a structured, accountable approach to talent planning.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the signs and risks of reactive (“panic”) hiring
  • Distinguish between short-term hiring needs and long-term talent strategy
  • Implement a structured hiring framework that improves consistency and fairness
  • Apply simple workforce planning techniques to anticipate hiring needs
  • Reduce bias and improve decision-making under time pressure
  • Create accountability in the hiring process across stakeholders

Instructor

Jen Warrington is the Founder and CEO of The Warrington Group, a strategic recruitment and career advisory firm. With nearly 20 years of recruitment experience and more than 5,200 successful placements, she helps organizations build stronger teams and leads candid conversations on the realities, challenges, and opportunities shaping today's hiring landscape.

 

Real Conversations: Dialogue, Conflict & Connection

Description

Difficult conversations are inevitable, but conflict doesn't have to damage relationships or stall progress. This course helps participants build the confidence and communication skills needed to navigate disagreement, provide feedback, address tension, and strengthen trust across teams.

Through practical tools and real-world scenarios, participants will learn how to communicate with clarity, manage emotions under pressure, and turn challenging conversations into opportunities for connection, understanding, and positive outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand their own communication and conflict tendencies
  • Navigate disagreement while maintaining trust and respect
  • Speak up with confidence, clarity, and authenticity
  • Give and receive feedback more effectively
  • Manage emotions during difficult conversations
  • Influence outcomes without escalating conflict
  • Build stronger relationships across differing perspectives

 

Instructor

Kevin McGowan, PMP, A-CSM, is an executive program and transformation leader, speaker, and advisor who helps organizations turn complex ideas into meaningful results. He brings practical insights on execution, influence, conflict resolution, and the courageous conversations that move work forward.

 

Real Conversations: From Ideas to Impact

Description

Great ideas only create value when they lead to action. This course equips participants with practical tools to move ideas from concept to execution by building momentum, engaging stakeholders, overcoming barriers, and creating meaningful change.

Participants will learn how to transform opportunities into achievable plans, communicate a compelling vision, and lead initiatives with confidence, even when resources, authority, or buy-in are limited.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify opportunities for meaningful improvement and change
  • Define clear goals and outcomes for initiatives and projects
  • Build stakeholder support and engagement
  • Prioritize actions and manage competing demands
  • Anticipate and overcome common implementation challenges
  • Communicate ideas and change effectively
  • Develop an action-oriented leadership mindset

 

Instructor 

Kevin McGowan, PMP, A-CSM, is an executive program and transformation leader, speaker, and advisor who helps organizations turn complex ideas into meaningful results. He brings practical insights on execution, influence, conflict resolution, and the courageous conversations that move work forward.

Coming Soon

  • Real Conversations: AI at Work (Without the Hype)
    Practical approaches to understanding, evaluating, and applying AI in everyday work.
  • Real Conversations: Boards That Matter
    Strengthening governance, strategy, accountability, and board effectiveness.
  • Real Conversations: Employer Brand in Action
    Building an authentic employer brand that attracts, engages, and retains talent.
  • Real Conversations: Influencing Policy with Clarity
    Communicating evidence, shaping decisions, and driving meaningful policy outcomes.

More courses are currently in development, expanding the conversation around leadership, talent, governance, strategy, and organizational effectiveness.

Page Feedback