Crucial Conversations

Crucial Conversations – Skills for Talking When the Stakes are High!


  • Have you ever left a meeting wondering, “Why is it that only the people who push their ideas the hardest, or speak the loudest, get heard around here?”
  • Do you ever seen someone hold their opinion bottled up inside and then one day, when they can take it no longer, they speak their mind – but by then they’re so upset that they don’t come across all that well?
  • Have you ever sat in a meeting where the senior person laid out an impossible plan and everyone hoped someone would say, “This can’t be done!” – but nobody was willing to risk being seen as ‘not being a team player’
  • Do you wonder how to deal with people who use strong debate-style tactics – inflammatory language, speaking in absolutes, etc. in order to win arguments?
  • Have you ever wanted to give a colleague some sensitive feedback but decide not to, because the conversation might not go that well or might even harm your relationship?
  • Were you aware that in the U.S. nearly 200,000 people die each year in hospitals because a health industry professional made a mistake – and often one of their co-workers saw the error but didn’t dare to speak up?

Research across dozens of industries, involving over 20,000 people, has confirmed the critical nature of verbal communication. People's ability to effectively discuss emotionally and politically risky topics (crucial conversations) with each other is the #1 predictor of rapid problem solving and corporate performance improvement. It literally determines how influential we are in both career and personal life!


When faced with high stakes, opposing opinions and strong emotions, many of us either step up to the challenge and fail (inadvertently on our worst behaviour) or we avoid the discussion altogether. The principles and practices of Crucial Conversations are a critical proven enabler of substantially better results in business projects as well as day-to-day operations.

Breakthrough With Crucial Conversations

The Crucial Conversations training program focuses on the sometimes counter-intuitive skills necessary to be effective in verbal interaction. It has been designed to teach participants the secrets of those people who have been identified by their peers as experts in dialogue.

 

Phase 1 Assessment : understanding your business context, typical communication issues and appropriate focus for the delivery of training


Phase 2 Customisation : refinement of the Crucial Conversations training program to ensure it is specifically addressing your company’s situation and identified needs


Phase 3 Training Delivery : conduct training will a fully accredited Crucial Conversations trainer , utilising what is recognised to be world-class materials and training methods. The program involves highly personalised examples and substantial role plays, all conducted in a very sensitive manner


Phase 4 Coaching : follow up coaching is critical to ensure that training content is embedded and reinforced in the field and not left in the ‘classroom’. The coaching phase cements the transition from ‘theoretical’ to ‘practical’ application of the newly acquired behaviours and skills


Expected Outcomes

The Crucial Conversations techniques will yield valued results in such vital areas as productivity, quality, safety, diversity, change management and personal relationships. The tools will provide equipping and confidence to:

  • Spot the conversations that are keeping you from where you want to be
  • Stay focused on what you really want
  • Notice when safety in interaction is at risk
  • Make it safe to talk about almost anything
  • Stay in dialogue when you or others are angry, scared or hurt
  • Speak persuasively, not abrasively
  • Listen when others blow up or clam up
  • Turn critical conversations into demonstrable action and results
Contact Us

For more information about how we can get your team to make every conversation count contact Grahame Murphy at info@KONA.com.au.


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