Only those with a goal reach it.
Leadership conversations, stakeholder communication, negotiations — whoever conducts them must steer them.
The conversation that is not prepared is the conversation you lose.
Executives spend a large portion of their time in conversations. But how many of these conversations are truly conducted professionally? With clear intent, good structure, deliberate steering and an outcome that matches the goal?
SPARKPOINT trains executives for exactly these moments — difficult conversations, stakeholder communication, feedback, negotiations, conflicts. With a clear method, realistic simulations and the feedback that actually moves things forward.
Professional conversation management means: structuring the conversation, steering its direction, reading the other party, withstanding pressure, maintaining your own position — and closing the conversation with the desired outcome. This is not a personality trait. It is a competence that can be trained.
- —Executives and board members
- —HR professionals and people managers
- —Lawyers in negotiation
- —Consultants in client conversations
- —Anyone who needs to achieve results in conversations
What is trained
Conversation preparation and goal-setting
Conversation opening, structure and steering
Active listening and questioning techniques
Handling resistance, conflicts and emotions
Reading body language and non-verbal signals
Closing techniques and securing results
Video analysis of all conversation exercises
Transfer exercises using real situations
SPARKPOINT works with realistic conversation simulations, live feedback and video analysis. The practice situations are based on real cases and challenges from participants. The goal is not theory, but behavioural change — perceptible, measurable, lasting.
Christof Schramm
Christof Schramm has been working as an executive communication trainer and CEO coach for board members, managing directors and leadership teams since 1999 — in M&A transactions, IPOs, media situations and critical leadership transitions.
View profile →Format & Structure
- Fully individually designed
- In-person or remote, in Germany and internationally
- Individual coaching or group formats
- Flexible in duration: from half-day to multi-day
- Video analysis as the central feedback instrument
- Transfer tasks and on-the-job support possible
Modules & Formats
Conversation management in leadership situations
Structuring, steering and bringing leadership conversations to a result: employee reviews, target-setting, performance appraisals, development conversations and critical leadership situations.
Conducting difficult conversations
Training for challenging conversation situations: conflicts, terminations, misconduct, escalations, personal crises and situations with high emotional pressure.
Giving and receiving feedback
Effective feedback as a leadership instrument: precise, honest, constructive — and delivered in a way that lands. Also mastering the reception of critical feedback with composure and professionalism.
Stakeholder communication
Professional communication with internal and external stakeholders: supervisory boards, owners, works councils, clients, partners and other interest groups with different agendas.
Virtual conversation management
Conversation management in digital formats: video conferences, virtual leadership conversations, online negotiations and the particular challenge of making an impact without physical presence.
Negotiation-adjacent conversation management
Conducting conversations with a negotiation character with confidence: positioning, making demands, conceding, escalating and closing — with a clear results focus and professional composure.
Frequently asked questions
What is professional conversation management?
Professional conversation management is the ability to structure, steer and bring demanding conversations to the desired outcome — even when the other party is difficult, emotional or confrontational. SPARKPOINT trains this ability for leadership situations with high personal and business significance.
For which conversations is the training particularly relevant?
For all conversations that have consequences: difficult employee conversations, salary negotiations, works council meetings, investor conversations, crisis calls, feedback conversations and separation conversations. In short: conversations where preparation and technique make the difference.
What do you learn concretely in the training?
Conversation structure and steering, active listening and questioning technique, handling emotional reactions, constructive confrontation, results-orientation without loss of authority and the ability to communicate difficult messages clearly and respectfully.
Can the training prepare for a specific conversation?
Yes. SPARKPOINT prepares for specific upcoming conversations — with the specific context, the other party and the desired outcome. This is often the most effective form of training.