Using AI to Prepare for Difficult Conversations Course

Module 1: Why AI? Setting the Stage

• The avoidance cycle and what it costs us.
• What AI can and cannot do in conversation preparation.
• Overview of tools: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Pi.
• The personalization gap and why generic prompts produce generic results.
• Your first prompt, including unguided practice and debrief.

Module 2: Teaching AI Who You Are

• The four dimensions of communication style: directness, warmth, formality, and emotional expression.
• Building your Communication Style Profile.
• Putting your profile to work through before-and-after comparison.
• Common profile mistakes and how to fix them.

Module 3: Teaching AI About the Other Person

• Why the other person's profile matters.
• Building a Person Profile, including style, triggers, interests, and what makes them receptive.
• Using AI to anticipate reactions and stress-test your approach.
• Understanding the limits: AI sees only your perspective.

Module 4: Preparing Your Opening Statement

• The three-part anatomy of an effective opener.
• Five common opener mistakes and why they backfire.
• Drafting multiple versions with AI feedback.
• Refining your opener through iteration and peer review.

Module 5: Practice Mode — Role-Playing with AI

• Why practicing a conversation is different from rehearsing a monologue.
• Setting up a realistic AI role-play.
• Running a five-exchange practice simulation.
• Debriefing with AI: what you noticed and what to adjust.

Module 6: Your Personal Conversation Plan

• The six-part Conversation Plan framework.
• Building your plan with AI section by section.
• Using AI after the conversation through the post-conversation debrief prompt.
• Closing reflection and next steps.