Compassionate accountability planner

One engine, 11 kinds of hard conversations. Built on an 8-step protocol whose real differentiator is step 5: is this an individual behavior, a management gap, or a system problem?

  • 11 conversation modes
  • Deterministic safety screening
  • No account or server upload required

1. Choose what you're preparing for

Before you start

Does this situation involve any of the following? Check any that apply.

Facts vs. assumptions
Standard & impact
Their perspective
Diagnose the system

Is this really about the individual, or something structural? Select any that apply.

Support & commitments
Review & consequences
Risks & follow-through
0 of 8 steps started

No account or server upload is required. Your plan stays in this browser unless you print, copy, or download it.

How this works

Every mode shares the same 8-step protocol: regulate before responding, separate facts from assumptions, name the standard and impact, prepare for their perspective, diagnose the system, agree support and commitments, define review timing and consequences, and plan for risks and follow-through. What changes between modes is the framing, suggested language, and which system causes are common to that situation - never the underlying structure.

Step 5 is the real differentiator. Most workplace-conversation advice treats every problem as an individual behavior to correct. This tool asks you to check first: is it unclear expectations, a capacity problem, a role-design gap, conflicting priorities, missing decision authority, or something else structural - not just "have a better conversation."

Safety screening is a fixed checklist, not a guess based on what you type. Flagging anything on it replaces the consequences and escalation sections with direct guidance to involve HR, legal, safety, or professional support before proceeding - honest and predictable, with no false confidence.

Frequently asked questions

Does this just help me sound empathetic?

No. Step 5 specifically asks whether the real cause is an individual behavior, a management gap, or a system problem - unclear expectations, capacity, role design, conflicting priorities, and more. The tool is built around that diagnosis, not just tone.

What happens if my situation involves harassment, safety, or a legal issue?

A required checklist screens for this before you get to consequences or escalation. If anything is flagged, those sections are replaced with guidance to involve HR, legal, safety, or professional support first - deterministic and checkbox-driven, not guessed from your text.

Does this ever tell me a conversation isn't the right approach?

Yes, deliberately. Not every situation resolves through empathy and conversation alone - some need a directive, unilateral, or formally escalated response instead.

Is anything saved on MBA Lab's servers?

No account or server upload is required. Your plan stays in this browser unless you print, copy, or download it.

Can I switch between the 11 modes?

Yes - pick a different mode any time. Since this tool holds one plan at a time, switching modes starts a fresh plan and clears your current draft, with a confirmation step first.

Go deeper

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