Creative Courage: The Art of Difficult Conversations
Join Kassi Kincaid for a powerful episode of The Edge of Creativity Podcast with Greg Stephens, mediator, author, and founder of Alignment Resources. Greg shares how creativity plays a vital role in navigating difficult conversations at work—conversations that, when handled with skill and intention, can transform relationships and spark meaningful change. From managing emotions to reclaiming your voice with respect, Greg offers a practical, empowering approach to dialogue. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to stop avoiding tough conversations—and start using them as a catalyst for clarity, connection, and creative leadership.
Creative Courage: The Art of Difficult Conversations
What does creativity look like when navigating the toughest conversations in the workplace? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Greg Stephens—leadership coach, dialogue expert, and co-founder of Leading Challenges—to explore how building the skill to have necessary and difficult dialogue unlocks a deeper form of creativity—one rooted in emotional intelligence, clarity, and connection.
Greg shares why courage equals confidence, how to manage emotions in real time, and what it looks like to practice respectful truth-telling without giving away your power. You’ll walk away with a new mindset, skillset, and attitude to improve relationships, clean up tension, and even complete unresolved dynamics—without carrying emotional baggage forward.
Whether you're trying to turn around your career, leave a job with integrity, or strengthen leadership communication, this conversation is a reminder: better relationships fuel better creativity.
Episode Highlights:
(0:51) What creativity looks like in tough workplace conversations
(2:46) The real starting place: skill-building, emotion management, and practice
(4:15) How difficult conversations can turn around relationships and careers
(8:18) The biggest barriers: fear, distorted perception, and emotional hijack
(10:00) The difference between giving up power and speaking truth with respect
(13:04) Where to begin: your best motives and intent
(16:00) Why better relationships = more creativity
(17:42) A simple, creative practice to come back to: “I care about you and what you care about”
This conversation with Greg is packed with practical insights for anyone ready to stop avoiding hard conversations—and start using them as a catalyst for connection, clarity, and creative leadership.
Connect with Greg Smith:
Website: https://www.alignment-resources.com/
LinkedIN: linkedin.com/in/gregstephens2
Don't forget to share your takeaways! DM me on Instagram (@kassi_kincaid) with your biggest takeaway from the episode!
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