Crucial Conversations
Kerry Patterson · 2002
Leadership
Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
Kerry Patterson and his co-authors studied people who were consistently able to handle high-stakes, emotional conversations effectively. They found that these people share learnable skills: they create safety, master their stories, and speak persuasively without being abrasive.
Context & Background
Written with Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler, Crucial Conversations addresses the moments that disproportionately determine our relationships, careers, and organizations — conversations where stakes are high, opinions differ, and emotions run strong. Most people either avoid these conversations or handle them badly.
Start with heart — clarify what you really want before opening your mouth. Learn to look — notice when safety is at risk in a conversation. Make it safe — restore safety when people go to silence or violence. Master your stories — separate facts from the stories you tell yourself. STATE your path — Share your facts, Tell your story, Ask for others' paths, Talk tentatively, Encourage testing.
The book has sold over 5 million copies and spawned a training industry. VitalSmarts (now Crucial Learning) has trained millions of people in the methodology. The skills are used in healthcare, business, government, and personal relationships worldwide.
Quotes from Crucial Conversations
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