Sign-In
Cart
What They Didn't Teach You: Difficult Conversations: A Practical Guide to Handling the Conversations Most People Avoid
Paperback
Series: What They Didn't Teach You
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jul 17 2026
Pages: 130
Weight: 0.40
Height: 0.28 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Have you ever replayed a conversation in your head and thought:
I should have said something.
Whether it's poor performance, a difficult colleague, a frustrated customer, an underperforming team member, your boss, your partner or a close friend, most people know the conversations they need to have.
The challenge isn't knowing.
The challenge is having them.
In What They Didn't Teach You: Difficult Conversations, leadership consultant and business leader Paul Bensley shares a practical, straightforward guide to handling the conversations most people avoid.
Drawing on decades of leadership experience across multiple industries, Paul introduces simple frameworks, real-world stories and practical techniques to help you:
- Give feedback without damaging relationships
- Address poor performance confidently
- Challenge behaviours without attacking character
- Build trust through honest conversations
- Manage upwards with senior leaders
- Handle difficult personal conversations outside of work
- Stop avoiding issues and start addressing them constructively
At the heart of the book is a simple but powerful principle:
Most problems don't get better with time. They get better with conversations.
Written in a practical, conversational style, this book is designed for leaders at every level, from first-time supervisors to experienced executives. More importantly, it's for anyone who wants to communicate more honestly, build stronger relationships and stop carrying around conversations that should have happened weeks, months or even years ago.
Because the conversations that change our lives are rarely the ones we have.
They're the ones we've been avoiding.
About the What They Didn't Teach You SeriesThe most important skills in business are rarely taught. They're learned through experience. Fortunately, experience doesn't have to be your only teacher.
Designed to be read over a weekend and applied throughout your career, every title tackles a different skill that organisations expect from their leaders but rarely teach. No unnecessary theory. Just practical ideas you can remember, apply and build on from Monday morning.
Also in
Business General
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition
Patterson, Kerry
Switzler, Al
Grenny, Joseph
Paperback
The Pig and I: The Tale of Our Relationship with a Beast We Eat
Endresen, Kristoffer Hattleland
Hardcover
Inspired: Understanding Creativity: A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul
Richtel, Matt
Hardcover
Quiet Girls Can Run the World: Owning Your Power When You're Not the Alpha in the Room
Holman, Rebecca
Paperback
Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Belonging Across Differences
Winters, Mary-Frances
Paperback
Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life
Brown, Carolyn M.
Gadsden-Williams, Michelle
Paperback
The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in Your Organization
Farmer, Crystal Byrd
Paperback
Paris Chic & Trendy: Designers' Studios, Hip Boutiques, Vintage Shops
Ribes-Tiphaine, Adrienne
Paperback
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about
Robbins, Sawyer
Robbins, Mel
Hardcover
The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think about Artificial Intelligence--Before It's Too Late
Doctorow, Cory
Paperback
The Risk Worth Taking: A Story of Breaking Free and Trading for a Life You Love
Ijeoma, Teri
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen)
Drucker, Peter F.
Gallo, Amy
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
Guidara, Will
Hardcover
The Retire Sooner Method: The 5 Secrets Behind America's Happiest (and Unhappiest) Retirees
Moss, Wes
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Mental Toughness, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How to Stop Worrying about What Other People Think of You by Michael Gervais)
Gervais, Michael
Duckworth, Angela L.
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
1873: The Rothschilds, the First Great Depression, and the Making of the Modern World
Ahamed, Liaquat
Hardcover
The Goal: 40th Anniversary Edition: A Process of Ongoing Improvement
Cox, Jeff
Goldratt, Eliyahu M.
Paperback
How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Your Guide to Easy Investing, Building Wealth, and Creating the Wild, Beautiful Life You Want
Holden, Amanda
Hardcover
Take Breaks, Work Better: Measure Impact, Not Hours, and Transform Your Profitability
Briggs, John
Paperback
Surrender to Lead: The Counterintuitive Approach to Driving Extraordinary Results
Terry, Joe
Kriegel, Jessica
Hardcover
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
McMillan, Ron
Patterson, Kerry
Grenny, Joseph
Paperback
Money Unlocked: How to Make It, Keep It and Multiply It: The New York Times Bestseller
Lee, John
Paperback
How We Could: The Framework to Lead Without Drama, Build Alignment, and Call Teams to Greatness
Dorr, Alex
Hardcover
The Freedom-Based Business Method: Reset, Systemize, and Realign Your Business to Live a Life of Harmony
Ellis, Natalie
Hardcover
The Courage to Commit: Embrace the Radical Power of Sticking with Something
Johnson, Shawn
East, Andrew
Hardcover
The Millionaire Master Plan: Your Personalized Path to Financial Success
Hamilton, Roger James
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Leadership, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Begin with Trust by Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss)
Edmondson, Amy C.
Ibarra, Herminia
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
Johnson, Spencer
Hardcover
The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, Deepmind, and the Quest for Superintelligence
Mallaby, Sebastian
Hardcover
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Holiday, Ryan
Hanselman, Stephen
Hardcover
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy
Danko, William D., PH. D.
Stanley, Thomas J., PH. D.
Paperback
Dummies Guide to Starting Your Own Business: Essential Steps to Launching and Scaling a Successful Small Business Venture
Press, Essywrites
Paperback
What the Heck Is Eos?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS
Bouwer, Tom
Wickman, Gino
Hardcover
7-Figure Educator: Turn Your Experience as an Educator Into Income, Impact, and Freedom
Jordan-Thomas, Erica
Paperback
The Overthinker's Guide to Making Decisions: How to Make Decisions Without Losing Your Mind
Nguyen, Joseph
Hardcover
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever
Stanier, Michael Bungay
Paperback
Get Scalable: The Operating System Your Business Needs To Run and Scale Without You
Deiss, Ryan
Paperback
Confidence (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss
Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Stop Asking for Referrals: Build a Magnetic Business Through Intentional Care & Real Relationships
McNally, Flor de Maria
Paperback
The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you
Fitzpatrick, Rob
Paperback
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
Raz, Tahl
Voss, Chris
Hardcover
I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. Just a 6-Week Program That Works (Second Edition)
Sethi, Ramit
Paperback
The Everywhere Millionaire: Who Is Really Rich in America and How They Got There
Zidar, Owen
Zwick, Eric
Hardcover
Hábitos Atómicos: Cambios Pequeños, Resultados Extraordinarios / Atomic Habits
Clear, James
Paperback
Influence and Persuasion (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Morgan, Nick
Cialdini, Robert B.
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (Pmbok(r) Guide) -- Eighth Edition and the Standard for Project Management
Project Management Institute
Paperback
Building Great Businesses: Create Momentum, Overcome Setbacks, and Scale with Confidence
Becker, Scott
Hardcover
Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour: The Ambitious Woman's Guide to Doing Less and Achieving More
Hauser, Fran
Hardcover
Mindful Listening (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Zenger, Jack
Review, Harvard Business
Hougaard, Rasmus
Paperback
A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection
Epley, Nicholas
Hardcover
Crucial Accountability: Proven Skills to Build Trust, Address Disappointment, and Get Results, Third Edition
Hale, Justin
Patterson, Kerry
Grenny, Joseph
Hardcover
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know
Oster, Emily
Paperback
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving in
Ury, William
Patton, Bruce
Fisher, Roger
Paperback
Take It Personal: How to Succeed by Building Relationships and Playing the Long Game
Grutman, David
Hardcover
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
Brown, Brené
Hardcover
Power and Impact (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Cable, Dan
Bregman, Peter
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Happiness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Gilbert, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
McKee, Annie
Paperback
The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World
Stulberg, Brad
Hardcover
The Algorithm: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, Lululemon, General Motors, and Spacex
McNeill, Jon
Hardcover
The Eureka Machine: Why AI Is the Key to Unlocking a New Era of Scientific Discoveries
Socher, Richard
Hardcover
Mindfulness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Goleman, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
Langer, Ellen
Paperback
Feedback That Works: How to Build and Deliver Your Message, Second Edition
Center for Creative Leadership
Paperback
7 Rules of Power: Surprising--But True--Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career
Pfeffer, Jeffrey
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Strategy, Updated and Expanded (Featuring the Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy by Michael E. Porter)
Review, Harvard Business
Porter, Michael E.
Kim, W. Chan
Paperback
Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization
McKibben, Bill
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on High Performance, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Nine Things Successful People Do Differently by Heidi Grant)
Grant, Heidi
Goleman, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
The Wisdom and Wealth Solution: Unlocking the Secrets of Happiness, Purpose, and Financial Security with Living360
Ansari, Feroz
Hardcover
The Phoenix Project: A Novel about It, Devops, and Helping Your Business Win
Behr, Kevin
Spafford, George
Kim, Gene
Paperback
Money to Burn: The Unvarnished Truth about Leon Black, Apollo, and the Rise of a New Wall Street
Cohan, William D.
Hardcover
Fans First: Change The Game, Break the Rules & Create an Unforgettable Experience
Cole, Jesse
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing People, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Are You a Good Boss--Or a Great One? by Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback)
Review, Harvard Business
Goleman, Daniel
Hill, Linda A.
Paperback