EXAMPLE SCENARIO
Our scenarios are based on real workplace challenges and written to reflect the kinds of difficult conversations your managers may face, from misconduct and bias, to performance issues, wellbeing, harassment and more.
Below is just one example:
"JUST BANTER"
THE SETUP: A new manager inherits a team where one female employee, Evie, is regularly subjected to casual, gendered remarks from her male colleagues. While the team seems to get along, an incident in a meeting crosses the line: after Evie makes a suggestion, a colleague publicly jokes that he "didn't know Evie has brains" and thought she was “just eye-candy.” The moment is laughed off by the group and her suggestion is ignored. Following this, the manager(s) decides to address the behaviour with the employee responsible.
How It Works
In this exercise, the manager(s) address the behaviour in a simulated 1-on-1, 2-on-1, or 3-on-1 meeting with a professional actor playing the employee responsible. Once complete, the scenario is repeated with two additional actors, each unaware of the previous performance; testing consistency, adaptability, and confidence under pressure. While one manager leads the rehearsal, others may observe, switch in mid-scenario, or take over with a different actor, allowing everyone to build confidence across varied dynamics. Sessions are facilitated live and include structured feedback. Optional input can be provided by our trained Legal and HR specialists, or we can collaborate with your internal advisors if preferred. The focus is on building muscle memory around structure, tone, and legal awareness, not memorising scripts.
How the Employee May Respond
Common Challenges
This scenario is intentionally difficult. The employee (played by a trained actor) may:
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Try to dominate or steer the conversation away from accountability
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Laugh it off and dismiss it as “just banter”
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Deflect responsibility by claiming Evie enjoys the jokes
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Accuse the manager of hypocrisy for not addressing it sooner
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Suggest the manager laughed along or said nothing at the time
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Question whether the manager even checked if Evie was offended
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Suggest the manager is targeting them due to their own background (e.g., race, sexuality, disability)
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Become defensive, angry, and/or emotional and flip the script to make themselves the victim.​
The manager is expected to navigate all of this with professionalism, control, and clarity (which is often the most difficult) while keeping the focus on the impact of the behaviour, not the intention.
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Most participants struggle with:
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Taking control of the conversation
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Getting caught in a debate or over explaining
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Becoming defensive, passive, or emotionally reactive
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Coming across as too vague, aggressive, or unsure
The goal is to develop the confidence to remain clear, calm, and direct, no matter the pushback. The actors intention is to deflect as much as possible, which normally catches managers off guard.
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By the end of this exercise, managers should be able to:
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Set boundaries
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Reframe personal attacks back to professional standards
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Clearly state that any behaviour that could be seen as offensive is not acceptable in the workplace, regardless of intention, “banter” or prior culture
This is not about confrontation. It’s about clarity, consistency, and leadership.