You can practice difficult conversations. With AI, you can even do it anytime.
The performance review is coming up. The employee ( leader ) is well prepared and wants to openly address any critical issues. But the other person reacts unexpectedly defensively, the mood shifts—and instead of asking for clarification, she begins to justify her position.
Even experienced leaders are familiar with situations like these. Under pressure, people fall back on familiar patterns, even if they’ve learned better techniques in training.
“New behaviors don’t arise from knowledge alone. We have to apply them, get feedback, and practice them over and over again. Only then do we develop the confidence we need in difficult conversational situations,” explains Hans-Peter Machwürth, founder and managing director of Machwürth Team International GmbH (MTI).
Training sessions provide valuable knowledge and initial practical experience. However, there is rarely enough time to practice difficult conversations often enough to ensure that new approaches can be applied even under pressure. The AI-powered conversation simulation MTI CONVERSA closes this gap.
Practice difficult conversations without anything at stake
In a digital training room, employees practice typical conversation scenarios—either by speaking or typing. CONVERSA responds both verbally and in text.
Here’s an example: A manager ( leader ) needs to tell an employee that he has repeatedly failed to meet his goals. The employee responds evasively and makes excuses. How can she clearly address his performance without the conversation escalating? What questions will help her understand the underlying causes? And how can she reach a binding agreement?
Afterward, CONVERSA provides structured feedback: How clear was the communication? Did the leader actively listen, ask relevant questions, and agree on specific next steps? Armed with these insights, she conducts the conversation again and immediately experiences how different phrasing changes the course of the conversation.
What makes it special: The virtual counterpart reacts realistically to what you say. Each simulation can be repeated as often as you like—without time pressure and without putting a real conversation at risk. In addition to leadership discussions, you can also practice situations involving sales, customer service, and cross-departmental collaboration.
How New Skills Become Everyday Practice
At MTI, CONVERSA is part of a blended learning approach: Digital learning resources teach the basics, while in in-person or online training sessions, trainers and coaches work with participants to develop new skills. Participants then continue to practice independently with CONVERSA—between training sessions or afterward.
This is particularly advantageous for larger groups of employees and international teams: Everyone can practice regardless of location, time zone, or training schedule. CONVERSA is currently available in German and English and is operated in compliance with the GDPR.
However, AI does not replace either personal guidance or interaction during training. It complements both by providing what is often lacking in everyday work: the opportunity to have difficult conversations repeatedly, to identify mistakes, and to try different approaches.
Get to Know MTI CONVERSA
Whether it's a performance review, conflict resolution, or a challenging customer situation: Learn how MTI CONVERSA can be integrated into your employee development program.
Discover MTI CONVERSA and Schedule a Demo
We would be happy to introduce you to MTI CONVERSA in a brief, no-obligation online demonstration—using a typical conversation or training scenario from your company’s day-to-day operations, if you’d like.