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Overview
Effective performance conversations keep teams aligned, build trust, and drive lasting organizational success. Whether you're new to leading others or looking to refine your management approach, mastering these conversations will strengthen your leadership effectiveness. Performance Conversations is a two-day, in-person course that explores feedback as a strategic management tool. You'll dive into the psychology behind employee engagement, examining how trust, safety and motivation impact workplace dynamics. Through hands-on case studies and interactive exercises, you'll practice recognizing cognitive biases and learn to adapt your approach to different situations and employee needs.
By completion, you'll have a toolkit of practical strategies for addressing workplace challenges while inspiring growth. You'll know how to document conversations effectively, navigate difficult discussions with confidence, and create an environment where honest feedback strengthens rather than threatens relationships.
This course is ideal if you:
- are a trades or technical professional stepping into a supervisory or lead hand role
- struggle with giving constructive feedback or handling challenging employee conversations
- are a new or aspiring manager who wants to build stronger, more trusting team relationships
- have international management experience and want to align with Canadian workplace norms
Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- articulate how effective performance conversations contribute to employee growth, retention, organizational success, and support career development and succession planning
- analyze how trust, psychological safety, and motivation theories influence performance conversations, and apply strategies to mitigate cognitive biases while accommodating diverse employee needs
- evaluate various performance conversation types and feedback models to determine the most appropriate approaches for different situations
- develop actionable plans for conducting impactful performance conversations, including documentation practices that ensure legal compliance and support ongoing development.
To request a course outline, contact ConEdAdvising@sait.ca.
If you're certified by a professional association, this course may qualify for continuing professional development (CPD) hours to help maintain your certifications/designations. Please check with your association to confirm eligibility.
Upcoming dates
Select an available section and add it to your cart. When you're ready, proceed to check out to sign into your student account and complete your registration.
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Registration closes seven days before the start date for on-campus, online scheduled, and blended courses, and one day before the start date for online self-paced courses.
After you've completed this course
Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be able to self-print a proof of completion document from your Continuing Education student account.
Costs
Textbook and supplies
Included in the purchase of this course, you’ll receive:
- Learning materials/hand-outs distributed in class
- Course curriculum accessible online in Brightspace (D2L)
Technology
For any coursework completed outside of classroom time, you’ll need:
- Access to your own computer or laptop with standard hardware/software requirements
- Internet access
Note: Please bring your laptop or an internet-enabled device to class.
Financial support
Financial opportunities are available to help pay for your course fees. Learn more about how to reduce your education or training costs with available awards, bursaries, loans and grants including the Canada Alberta Job Grant.
Applicable certificates
This course applies to the following certificate programs:
- Certification type
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Certificate of Achievement
Train your team
Interested in group training opportunities for this course? Tell us about your organization's needs, and one of our training consultants will contact you within one business day.
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.