If you have any inquiries, please contact jeremy@sustainabilitynetwork.ca.
*All recordings are available for 60 days.
Date: January 22, 29, & February 5, 1-2:30 PM ET
Cost: $75 for the series (Zoom Meeting)
Maximum 50 registrants.
Buy 2 tickets from the same organization, get 1 ticket free!
*All registrants will be provided with a link to the recording and presentation slides following each session. The recording will be available for 60 days.
Build three core skills that transform conflict from an energy drain to a driver of collaboration and trust.
In this series, mediator and facilitator Matt McKenna shares practical, human-centered models that leaders can use to handle the difficult moments and dynamics every team faces. Each interactive session blends insight with practice, so you can immediately apply your learning to your context.
Session 1: Getting Tough Feedback Right
Poorly delivered feedback can be derailing and demotivating. It’s crucial to give constructive feedback, but leaders often feel they must choose between holding back or pushing too hard. In this session you’ll learn:
- A model that reveals a hidden dynamic of feedback
- A memorable tool that consistently generates effective feedback
- How to coach individuals to give and receive difficult feedback
Session 2: Defusing Interpersonal Drama
A team member comes to you upset and wants to vent about another team member. You’ve been there. It’s a loaded moment you need to handle skillfully. In this session, you’ll learn:
- How to leverage insights from behavioural science to de-escalate the interaction
- A model that shows what’s really happening, and what choices you have in this moment
- How to support the person in front of you without joining their “side” or amplifying the drama
Session 3: Taming Persistent Tensions
Some issues aren’t problems to solve; they’re tensions to manage. Examples include the tension between work AND home, structure AND flexibility, today AND tomorrow. Your team needs both sides of a key tension to thrive and advance your shared mission. In this session, you’ll learn:
- How to recognize and name the tension at play
- A tool that identifies how effectively your team is managing that tension
- How to lead passionate people through polarization with care
Who It’s For
This series is designed for individuals with experience leading people or projects who want practical tools and skills for managing conflict and tension effectively. This series is not for leaders with extensive training or background in conflict resolution.
Matt McKenna helps people reconnect when it matters most, whether it’s teams in conflict or two leaders who’ve stopped speaking. A Qualified Mediator and seasoned facilitator, Matt’s path began on stage as a touring musician. Today, he brings the same focus on harmony and connection to boardrooms and mission-driven teams. He’s worked with high-purpose organizations of all kinds, from NFPs and B-Corps to faith communities and Ontario’s Provincial COVID-19 Response Team. Matt’s work helps teams rebuild trust, strengthen relationships, and navigate conflict with clarity so they can move forward together.
© 2025 Sustainability Network
