6 conversations · 6 ready to practise
Difficult appraisal and one-to-one conversations
Practise the review before the review.
Nadia · deputy manager
They think it was a great year
Their self-assessment says excellent. Yours doesn’t.
Ryan · shift supervisor
The high performer you can’t promote
Your best supervisor wants the deputy’s job. There isn’t one to give.
Lee · night-shift team leader
"Everything’s fine" every week
Every one-to-one lasts three minutes. The answer is always "fine".
Carol · key holder
"Meets expectations" when they expected more
A fair rating. They expected more, and they’re about to tell you.
Darren · late-shift goods-in team leader
A complaint about a colleague, in their review
Ten minutes into their review, it’s all about someone else.
Pete · shift supervisor
Next year’s goals, for someone who doesn’t want any
"I’m happy as I am." The goals box is still empty.
Practice for reflection, not legal or HR advice. If it involves harassment, discrimination, health or safety, talk to HR or ACAS.
Practise it before you say it
You know what you think of their year. The hard part is saying it to someone who’s already decided it went brilliantly, or who wanted more than you can give. These six let you find the words with someone who answers back, before you sit down across the desk.
42% of managers say they know what they want to say in a difficult conversation, but struggle with how to say it.
The Predictive Index, 2026 AI and People Leadership Survey (399 managers and 208 business leaders, July 2026)How it works
- Pick the conversation. Each one is an everyday situation from shops, warehouses and shift work, with one person on the other side who has their own reasons.
- Talk it through. Type what you’d say. They answer the way people do: they deflect, go quiet, or open up when you get it right. Up to eight turns.
- Hear how it went. Our AI coach reads the whole conversation and tells you what worked, where it slipped, what to say instead and the one thing to practise. Then try it again.
What we keep: nothing you typed. Your conversation stays in your browser and goes to our AI coach only to write the next reply and your feedback. Use a made-up name for the person you’re thinking of.
Reading before review season
- How to Give Feedback That Lands (Without the Sandwich)Say what you saw, what it caused and what you need next.
- The Difficult Conversation Script: A 5R ApproachA simple shape for the conversation you’ve been putting off.
Questions people ask
Who are these for?
Managers who hold reviews and one-to-ones: deputies, store managers, area managers and anyone with supervisors reporting to them. The situations come from shops, supermarkets and warehouses, but the conversations travel.
Which one should I start with?
The review you’re dreading most this year. If none comes to mind, start with the one who thinks it was a great year: it’s the conversation most managers put off.
What if my situation is different?
Pick the closest one. The character reacts to what you say, so the practice is in your words, not in matching every detail. Leave out real names and anything that could identify someone.
Can I do the same one twice?
Yes, and that’s where most of the learning is. Your first go at each conversation is free. Each go after that, including a second go at the same one, uses one Ask BOM credit.
Credits are the same as Ask BOM credits: packs from 10 for £3 to 100 for £20, and one code works across every coach tool on the site. How credits work