Practice a difficult conversation with an employee

A direct report has missed deadlines, checked out in meetings, or stopped growing — and when you raise it, they deflect. Most managers either avoid the conversation or turn it into a lecture. The skill is staying clear and holding them accountable without losing their trust.

Don't tell us how you'd handle it. Practice it.

You: The manager.

Them: A direct report who starts guarded and deflects — and reacts to how you handle them.

Start practicing → — free, no signup. A live AI role-play: you type, the other side responds and adapts to what you actually say.

What you'll practice

• Empathy without avoiding the issue
• Clear expectations
• Accountability without blame
• A concrete follow-through plan

How it works

You hold the whole conversation with an AI playing the other side, who reacts to how you handle them. When it ends, you get an evidence-based debrief of what you did and what to do differently — then you can run it again.

Coaches use VoicePrep to give clients a place to practice between sessions. L&D teams use it to turn training into measurable communication practice. See VoicePrep for coaches and L&D →