Fix the Conversation

Have you ever read a short email or text and immediately decided the sender was angry, dismissive, or coming after you?

Here’s the problem…. Email has no facial expression. Text has no body language. When the tone is missing, your brain supplies one, and it may choose the wrong one.

In this episode of Fix the Conversation, Heather explains how quickly assumptions turn everyday problems into unnecessary conflict. You’ll learn the READ framework for slowing down your reaction, separating facts from the story in your head, and deciding when it’s time to stop typing and start talking.

Assuming positive intent doesn’t mean ignoring disrespect or avoiding accountability. It means beginning with curiosity, getting the facts, and addressing the actual behavior, not the imaginary conversation you created in your head.

Before you fire off that email, listen to this episode.

Every leader knows who their “tricky people” are…the ones who come in hot, push past direct into aggressive, and can change the energy of a room in seconds. But when that behavior goes unchecked, everyone else pays the price.

In this episode of Fix the Conversation, Heather breaks down why permission is set from the top, how your communication style may influence the way you handle difficult personalities, and a simple Before. During. After. framework for addressing bad behavior without creating even more conflict.

Because great leadership isn’t about cleaning up the explosion…it’s about having the conversation that prevents it.

You know what you want…the promotion, the bigger client, the approval, or the opportunity. But can you name the specific person who can help you make it happen?

In this episode of Fix the Conversation, Heather explains why meaningful opportunities almost always have a “who” attached to them. You’ll learn how to identify the decision-makers, advocates, and connectors who can move your ideas and career forward and how to build those relationships authentically.

Because if you can’t name your who, you don’t have a relationship strategy. You have a wish.

You can have the smartest idea in the room and still struggle to get anyone to listen.

In this episode of Fix the Conversation, Heather reveals why expertise alone doesn’t create influence. You’ll learn how to communicate your ideas in a way that builds credibility, earns buy-in, and moves people to action.

Discover how to lead with what matters to your audience, anticipate resistance, build support before the meeting, and stop repeating yourself when your message isn’t landing.

Because being right isn’t enough. If you want your ideas to go somewhere, you have to help people understand why they matter.

Have you ever walked into what you thought was a normal conversation…only to hear words that instantly made your stomach drop?

Feedback has a way of doing that.

One minute you're fine. The next, you're defending yourself, explaining your intentions, or replaying the conversation in your head for the rest of the day.

Here's the thing…it's not because you're bad at receiving feedback. It's because feedback doesn't hit our logic first…it hits our emotions.

In this episode of Fix the Conversation, Heather Lisle explores why each communication style has different emotional triggers when receiving feedback and, more importantly, how to recognize them before they take over the conversation.

You'll discover:

• Why feedback feels so personal, even when it isn't.
• The hidden fear each communication style experiences during difficult conversations.
• Three simple questions that instantly shift you from defensive to curious.
• Practical strategies to help you stay emotionally grounded, even when the conversation catches you off guard.

The goal isn't to agree with every piece of feedback you receive. The goal is to stay open long enough to decide what's useful.

The leaders who grow the fastest aren't the ones who never receive criticism. They're the ones who know how to receive it without letting it define them.

Have you ever walked away from a feedback conversation thinking, "I said everything right."

So why didn't it land?

Why did they get defensive?

Why did they shut down?

Why did nothing change?

Great feedback isn't just about saying the right thing. It's about saying it in a way the other person can actually hear.

In this episode of Fix the Conversation, Heather Lisle shares one of the biggest mindset shifts in leadership: stop giving feedback the way you would want to receive it and start delivering it the way they need to receive it.

Using the four communication styles, you'll learn:

• Why every communication style hears feedback differently.
• How your own communication style may be helping—or hurting—your delivery.
• Simple adjustments that reduce defensiveness and increase understanding.
• The mindset shift that helps difficult conversations lead to growth instead of resistance.

The goal of feedback isn't to prove you're right. It's not to vent your frustration.

The goal is to create the best possible conditions for someone to hear the message, process it, and choose what to do next.

Because if they can't hear it…they can't grow from it.

If your team is disengaged, trust is low, or people are walking on eggshells, free lunch isn't the answer. The real issue is almost always the conversations that aren't happening.

In this episode, I sit down with organizational leadership expert Dr. Julia Wiener to unpack why so many leaders get culture wrong…and what actually creates a workplace where people feel valued, accountable, and excited to show up.

We talk about:

• Why perks don't create culture
• The warning signs your culture is quietly breaking down
• The hidden cost of avoiding hard conversations
• The four pillars every leader needs to build trust, ownership, and lasting engagement

If you've ever thought, "Our culture used to be great...what happened?" this episode is for you.

Culture is built in the everyday moments…how you lead, how you communicate, and the conversations you're willing to have.

This episode will challenge your thinking and give you practical tools you can start using today to build a team people don't want to leave.

Connect with Dr. Julia Wiener on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If your team is disengaged, trust is low, or people are walking on eggshells, free lunch isn't the answer. The real issue is almost always the conversations that aren't happening.

In this episode, I sit down with organizational leadership expert Dr. Julia Wiener to unpack why so many leaders get culture wrong…and what actually creates a workplace where people feel valued, accountable, and excited to show up.

We talk about:

• Why perks don't create culture
• The warning signs your culture is quietly breaking down
• The hidden cost of avoiding hard conversations
• The four pillars every leader needs to build trust, ownership, and lasting engagement

If you've ever thought, "Our culture used to be great...what happened?" this episode is for you.

Culture is built in the everyday moments…how you lead, how you communicate, and the conversations you're willing to have.

This episode will challenge your thinking and give you practical tools you can start using today to build a team people don't want to leave.

Are you avoiding important conversations that could transform your team, client relationships, or personal life? In this episode, Heather Lisle shares practical insights on why addressing tough talks is crucial, how silence can be costly, and strategies to approach even the hardest conversations with confidence.

Tired of tolerating bad behavior? In today’s episode, Heather Lisle reveals how to stop enabling patterns without being the “bad guy.” Discover the difference between tolerating and enabling, and learn practical strategies to break the cycle. Heather shares how to stop making excuses, let natural consequences take their course, and have direct conversations early. 

This episode empowers you to lead with clarity and confidence, transforming your relationships at work and home. Perfect for anyone ready to set healthier boundaries and create a more respectful environment.