The CLEARER Conversations™ Lab
A leadership reset for navigating uncomfortable, high stakes conversations with clarity, care, and intention.
You’re expected to lead difficult conversations often without the time, support, and space to do it well.
Whether you’re giving feedback, delivering difficult news, speaking up to someone in a position of power, or guiding a teammate through a tough moment, these conversations tend to land on your plate.
More often than not, you’re left to figure them out on your own, balancing tension, emotion, and unspoken dynamics while still trying to move the work forward.
The CLEARER Conversations™ Lab is a two-part virtual space for people who hold responsibility for others (formally or informally) and want a more grounded, intentional way to lead the conversations that matter most.
It’s designed for leaders across sectors, where what you say, how you say it, and when you speak up can shift trust, outcomes, and relationships.
Why this? Why now?
If you hold responsibility for others, difficult or uncomfortable conversations are part of the role.
They show up when you are:
Giving feedback that may be hard to hear
Having to lay someone off or make a difficult decision
Naming tension with someone in a position of power
Repairing trust after something has gone wrong
These moments can bring up worry, second-guessing, and emotion. You might wonder if you will seem too much or too nice, or how to say what needs to be said without causing harm.
Too often, you are left to navigate them alone, without a process, without language, and without space to reflect before reacting.
The CLEARER Conversations™ Lab offers a space to practice in a low stakes environment to help you pause, notice, and respond with intention.
You will explore not just what to say, but how identity, context, and power shape the way conversations unfold so you can lead with more trust, even when it is hard.
Whether you are already in the middle of a tough moment or want to build your capacity before the next one hits, this is a space to slow down, reflect, and reset how you handle the conversations that matter most.
“With abundant compassion and keen insights, Abbiola created an inviting atmosphere for my cohort explore, test ideas, and share our experiences in. I felt supported and affirmed throughout, and left feeling more prepared and capable of engaging in stressful, uncomfortable, and difficult conversations.
- Shayna Keyles, Associate Director of Acquisitions, North Atlantic Books
This experience is for you if your role depends on how you communicate with others, even when it’s hard.
Whether or not you have a formal title, this space is for people who hold responsibility for others and want to approach hard conversations with more care, confidence, and discernment.
It’s especially supportive if you:
Are caught in the middle between departments, leadership and staff, or groups with competing needs
Know there’s a conversation that’s lingering, whether it’s something you’ve been avoiding, can’t stop thinking about, or know is coming
Often absorb tension in the room but aren’t sure how to name it or shift it
Feel anxious about how your words or tone will land
Want to reset how you show up in conflict, not to be perfect, but to be more intentional
Are tired of surface-level communication and want something more grounded
You don’t need to be a “people manager” to know that what you say, and what you avoid, shapes trust, momentum, and outcomes.
What you will walk away with
You’ll leave with more than a framework.
You’ll leave with a new way of approaching the conversations that have been weighing on you, whether it’s something you’ve been putting off, something that didn’t go the way you hoped, or something you know is coming.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
A flexible structure you can return to when things get tense or unclear
Space to explore one real conversation, past, present, or upcoming, and apply what you’re learning
Support in finding language that fits you, not a script
Tools to stay grounded when emotions or power dynamics are high
A clearer sense of how to lead with care, not just urgency
This experience meets you where you are and helps you move forward with confidence, discernment, and a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you.
What’s included in your journey
Progress Checkpoints
Live, Guided Coaching
CLEARER Conversations™ Guide
Voice & Text Support
“Participating in this training was a powerful experience that deepened my understanding of what it means to lead with both clarity and care. I’ve often struggled with giving direct feedback, especially when I’ve prioritized being helpful or “nice” over being honest about unmet expectations.
This training helped me recognize that silence can unintentionally signal acceptance, leading to resentment or miscommunication. I now feel more confident approaching tough conversations, especially in my role as a manager, where I hold both responsibility and influence. The tools I gained, like preparing for conversations with intention, tuning into body language, and focusing on the other person’s experience, have already shifted how I think about accountability. The safe, authentic space created by Abbiola and the real-life stories shared by other participants made the learning feel grounded and actionable.”- Anonymous, Manager at a Foundation
Upcoming Cohorts Schedule
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Live Session 1
October 8, 2026
We’ll walk through the CLEARER Conversations™ practice together, unpack each part, and start applying it to a real conversation you’ve been putting off with support, not pressure. -
Check In + Reflection Week (Optional)
October 9 - 14, 2026
This is your space to reflect, prep, and find your voice. You’ll have access to voice and text support to think things through between sessions. -
Live Session 2
October 15, 2026
This session is all about guided practice, real time feedback, and experimenting in the lab. The goal is to to leave feeling equipped to handle the conversation.
Format Overview
Live, Virtual 2-Part Series (3 hours each)
📆 Session Dates: Thursday October 8 & 15, 2026
🕒 Session Time: 8:30AMPT / 11:30AMET
📍 Location: Zoom
👥 Group size: Maximum eight (8) participants
Future Cohort Dates: Spring 2027
Facilitator
The sessions will be facilitated by Abbiola Ballah, People Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Creator of the CLEARER Conversations™ approach.
Abbiola brings 20+ years of global experience helping managers lead with empathy, navigate team dynamics, and build trust in high stakes situations.
Investment / Pricing
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US$950.
One seat in the April Cohort
Note: You may be able to use your organization’s professional development budget. Many participants do! -
US$1,700.
Save US$200. when two people join together.
Note: You may be able to use your organization’s professional development budget. Many participants do! -
If you’re based in the Caribbean, Latin America, or in a region where salary scales or currency exchange may impact access, regional pricing may be available.
A limited number of regional rate spots are available for each cohort.
Contact Abbiola directly to request the rate or ask a question.
Note: You may be able to use your organization’s professional development budget. Many participants do!
“Abbiola is a warm, engaging, and insightful facilitator with a multifaceted approach to this topic, and the experience will expand your understanding of and tools for engaging in challenging conversations.”
- Anonymous, Director at a Foundation
Ready to lead with more clarity and care?
If you’re ready to show up differently in the conversations that matter, this experience is for you.
🗓️ October 8 & 15, 2026
Group size is limited to eight (8) participants, and spots are filled by application.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis! Apply early to increase your chance of joining this round.
Want to bring this to your team / organization instead? Contact Abbiola directly to learn more.
Join the interest list to hear first about future cohorts once dates are released. Next cohort: Spring 2027
What You Might Be Wondering…
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It’s a people leadership centered practice Abbiola developed and tested over the past six years to guide emotionally complex conversations. You’ll learn and apply it during the lab. It helps you lead with care, not just compliance.
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Most trainings focus on what to say. The lab helps you figure out how to show up especially when things feel tense, unclear, or avoided. It’s grounded in real situations, not hypotheticals.
No role-play circles. No scripts. Just a grounded, low stakes, guided space to practice and experiment with support. -
Nope. If you’re responsible for guiding others, giving feedback, navigating tension, or helping people work well together then this is for you.
Whether your title says manager, director, coordinator, lead, or something else entirely, what matters most is your role in holding people centered responsibilities. -
Nope. This isn’t about acting out hypotheticals or putting anyone on the spot. You’ll practice and experiment with your conversation in a low stakes environment that’s supportive, guided, and centered on helping you feel equipped to navigate these in the real world.
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That’s completely normal and you're not alone in feeling that way. You are never expected to share anything you’re not ready to. This space is supportive, not performative and you’ll get the guidance you need, on your terms.
We approach this work with care and intention, using shared community agreements and community assumptions to create a space that supports trust and vulnerability.
Community agreements are shared statements that guide how we show up, interact, and care for one another during the experience.
Community assumptions name the realities and intersectional identities we bring into the room, acknowledging that we all enter with different lived experiences, perspectives, and power dynamics.
Confidentiality is one of our core community agreements. Anything shared in the experience (stories, questions, or challenges) stays within the space. You're invited to engage at your own pace, and the space is designed to meet you with empathy and respect.
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You’ll fill out a short application to share your focus, context, and interest in the experience. Abbiola personally reviews each one to make sure it’s a good fit for this kind of space.
If accepted, you’ll receive a private link to make payment. Your spot is only confirmed once payment is made.
⚠️ Since the group is capped at eight (8) people and applications are reviewed as they come in, we recommend applying early to increase your chances of joining the next available cohort. -
This is a live, interactive experience so attending both sessions is highly encouraged. The space we create together is confidential, and we don’t automatically record the sessions out of respect for that trust.
If you’re unsure about the dates, reach out before applying and we can talk through your options.
In some cases, we may offer a limited recording or recap but only if everyone in the group consents and if it aligns with the nature of the session.
Spots are limited and meant for those who can fully participate, so if the timing doesn’t work for you, you can also apply for a future cohort! -
Yes. If you're based in the Caribbean, Latin America, or a region where salary scales or currency exchange may impact access, you may be eligible for regional pricing.
A limited number of spots are available each round so reach out to Abbiola directly to request the rate or ask a question. -
Yes. we offer a customized version of this experience for organizations. It’s a great fit for leadership off-sites, team resets, or manager/director development programs, especially when there’s a need to build trust and improve communication across levels. We’ll shape the format, examples, and pacing to fit your team’s specific needs.
Reach out to Abbiola directly to explore options and scope.
