CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS
 
High stakes, opposing opinions, strong emotionsŠif you're like most people, scarcely a day passes that you don't face a crucial conversation.
 
You know the type...stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. Perhaps you're about to talk to a semi-hostile direct report about a performance issue. Gulp...maybe you need to talk to your boss about purposely withholding valuable information from you. That should be a fun little chat. Maybe youšve decided to sit down with your in-laws to discuss all of those unannounced and lengthy visits. Maybe not.
 
Unfortunately, if you're like most of us, when it matters most you are typically on your worst behavior. That's because when it comes to crucial conversations, we are designed exactly wrong. When our emotions kick in, we are genetically programmed to fight or to take flight, not to skillfully negotiate complex human interactions.
 
But, all this can CHANGE. Twenty-five years of research with over 20,000 people has taught us how to turn crucial conversations into experiences that produce strong results and build relationships. By studying people who know what to say, when to say it, and how to deliver the words in a way that actually gets heard without creating defensiveness-we now know exactly what it takes to master crucial conversations.