How to Handle Difficult Conversations
The High Performance Podcast
High Performance
4.8 • 4.7K Ratings
🗓️ 11 July 2025
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Avoiding tough conversations might feel easier, but it often holds us back.
In this episode, Jake and Damian unpack why leaning into difficult conversations is essential for growth, connection, and real leadership. With insights from guests like James Vowles, Emily Maitlis, Charles Duhigg, and Joleon Lescott, they reveal how feedback, when delivered and received with clarity and care, can transform relationships.
From reframing criticism to preparing with empathy, they explore practical ways to handle emotional discussions, without defensiveness or blame. Whether it’s shifting from accusation to curiosity or learning to speak with respectful candor, the episode is full of tools you can use right now.
Listen in as Jake and Damian explore how mastering hard conversations can unlock trust, growth, and stronger human connection.
Listen to the episodes mentioned:
Charles Duhigg: https://pod.fo/e/22db6c
Joleon Lescott: https://pod.fo/e/25003c
Les Ferdinand: https://pod.fo/e/2c5bda
Gary Lineker: https://pod.fo/e/12b34c
Emily Maitlis: https://pod.fo/e/19028a
James Vowles: https://pod.fo/e/21794f
Rene Meulensteen: https://pod.fo/e/2bd0c6
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Introducing our new how-to masterclass series, learn from Olympic champion, Jess Ennis Hill, |
| 0:06.1 | physiologist Olly Patrick, and our very own expert, Damien Hughes, exclusively on the high-performance app. |
| 0:13.4 | This episode of High Performance is brought to you by London Business School. |
| 0:17.6 | At High Performance, we believe progress is driven by fresh perspectives, open minds and the |
| 0:22.4 | courage to do things differently. And that's why we're proud to be supported by London Business |
| 0:26.5 | School, a global community of strategists, leaders, listeners and explorers. London Business |
| 0:32.3 | School brings together people from around the world who see challenges in radically different |
| 0:36.6 | ways. It's a place where |
| 0:37.8 | difference is not just welcomed but seen as essential to growth. With global scholarships and |
| 0:42.8 | alumni in over 160 countries, it's a school where diverse thinking leads to meaningful impact. |
| 0:49.4 | LBS believes that difference drives progress. If you want to find out how bringing together unique |
| 0:54.7 | perspectives creates real change, search London Business School or visit London.edu. |
| 1:04.4 | Hi there, you're listening to High Performance with myself and Damien Hughes, hey, Damo? |
| 1:08.7 | Hey, Jay. How are you, mate? Very well, thanks. Very well indeed. |
| 1:11.5 | So today we're going to delve into something that you, in your droves, have told us you struggle with, |
| 1:16.9 | having difficult conversations. I can't tell you how often you're reaching out on LinkedIn, |
| 1:21.9 | on Instagram, you're direct messaging us to say that you've listened to loads of episodes of |
| 1:26.2 | high performance. You've learned so many things from the incredible guests that we've had, but still, when a difficult |
| 1:31.5 | conversation with a child or a partner or a parent or a boss or a colleague looms large, |
| 1:38.2 | you just struggle with it. So I suppose the first thing we should talk about, Damien, and |
| 1:43.2 | you've got so much lived experience of this because you've worked with many of the biggest sports teams on the |
| 1:47.8 | planet, is why is it so often so difficult to have hard conversations when we know that |
... |
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