The Art and Science of Difficult Conversations

How to address underperformance when the employee is a friend (Part 2 with Ashley Cox)

May 19, 2026·20 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

In our follow up to last week’s episode, Ashley and Chris continue talking about navigating difficult conversations, especially when dealing with friends or family in a professional setting.  Especially when they start bringing things back up or get more defensive, it can feel like you’re on the edge of losing an employee AND a friend.  Hear how Ashley walks us through: -          How to address underperformance in friends or family. -          How to maintain your humanity to be an effective leader. -          How to set clear boundaries and expectations prevent future conflicts. -          How to use empathy and understanding to resolve issues with friends or family. -          How to take ownership to turn problems into opportunities for growth.   About Ashley Ashley Cox, PHR, SHRM-CP is a leadership mentor for ambitious women business owners who have a team but no time. She empowers them to become courageous and confident leaders, and build high-performance teams they can trust and rely on (without constantly chasing them to get things done). Ashley is also a sought-after speaker, author of the book Transform Your Stories, and host of The Impact Ripple Podcast   Connect with Ashley Website: www.ashleycox.co Book: www.ashleycox.co/transform Podcast: www.ashleycox.co/podcast  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyncox Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleycox.co Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleycox.co   Contact us:  Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment

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