We all recall three kinds of difficult conversations. The ones we regret not having, the ones we remember for the care that went into them, and the ones we still carry the scars from. They come with the role, with leading, and with being part of a team.

Dear Aunty Treacle, how do you approach difficult conversations in a way that’s firm but fair, and stops them feeling so personal or overwhelming?

Anna Keen and Stuart Hughes take this one on between the two of them. Stuart works through his own back catalogue, the ones he had, the ones he avoided and the ones that landed badly, and shares the line he now opens with: “This could be 1,000% unfair, but it’s my observation.” Anna unpacks why we make these conversations hard, why clear is kind, why nobody ever says “I’m so glad I waited”, and whether you need to turn up the care or the clarity.

Where they land: they deserve the information. What they do with it is their choice.

PS: Stuart’s continued confusion with numbers introduces this as episode five. It is episode three. Apologies for the consistent numberwang.

Share your story on this question:
https://auntytreacle.substack.com/p/the-can-opener-s2-q3-difficult-conversations

Full write-up and team practice guide: auntytreacle.substack.com
Got a question? ask@auntytreacle.com

Invest in your momentum. Help others build theirs.

You believe in the change. Leadership backs it. On the ground, nothing moves.

Dear Aunty Treacle, how do you deal with resistance without burning bridges or giving up?

Anna Keen and Stuart Hughes take this one on, no guest. Anna hears it in a coaching session about once a week, and the answer is always the same: we told them again.

In the can: why pushback and quiet ignoring are information, not a verdict, what people lose when you sell them the benefits, Stuart's test of handing your change to someone else to explain, coming out of broadcast mode and into journalistic mode, and why an informal conversation beats every comms plan you've ever written.

Curiosity first. Influence comes after.

Join our community: auntytreacle.substack.com

Got a question? ask@auntytreacle.com

Invest in your momentum. Help others build theirs.

The certificates are done. So what now?

Dear Aunty Treacle, beyond the certificates, what should I be focusing on if I want to be more influential and effective in the business?

Anna Keen and Stuart Hughes take this one on, no guest. The technical foundation is critical. It's just not everything.

In the can: what progress actually means to you (and why sticky floors outnumber glass ceilings), why a certificate is gradable and influence isn't, the ladder from curiosity to impact, and how to run influence experiments at a scale you can afford to get wrong.

Development is infinite, not finite. The certificate gave you permission to operate. Everything after it is earned in the trying.

Share your story on this question:
https://auntytreacle.substack.com/p/season-two-question-01-learning-and

Full write-up and team practice guide: auntytreacle.substack.com

Got a question? ask@auntytreacle.com

Invest in your momentum. Help others build theirs.