Crucial Moments Decide
The success of your firm hangs on your ability to handle high-stakes, high-emotion conflict conversations...
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Build your crucial conversation skills and build your business success
Have you thought about the difference that getting crucial conversations right could mean to the future of your business?
What happens to your business when you handle crucial conversations well?
Stop thinking you can avoid crucial conversations in your business…
Start looking for opportunities to improve your business by having the right conversations
Crucial conversations will increase the strength of your team and your business
How you deal with those crucial conversations in your business will determine your future success
Start recognising the conversations that matter in your business
What happens when you recognise that a conversation is crucial in your business and handle it well?
Stop avoiding the crucial conversations holding your business back
What is the difference between a normal conversation and a crucial conversation in your business?
Why risk the future of your business by not handling the conversations that matter better
Should you be better at recognising the signs of a crucial conversation?
How do you recognise when a conversation is crucial in your business?
How you respond to crucial conversations will make or break your business
How do you respond when a crucial conversation needs to be had in your business?
What response will you choose when a crucial conversation happens in your business?
3 responses, 1 outcome – how do you handle the crucial conversations in your business?
Should you know the right response when it comes to handling the crucial conversations that occur in your business?
How can a shared pool of meaning help have crucial conversations in your business?
Should you give greater importance to the shared pool of meaning in your crucial conversations?
Manage crucial conversations successfully with a shared pool of thoughts and feelings
When you share thoughts and feelings you will manage successful crucial conversations
How can a shared pool improve the conversations in your business?
Start using a shared pool of meaning when it comes to managing the conversations in your business
If you want your crucial conversations to be successful, purpose and respect must show up
Your business wins when you invite purpose and respect to your crucial conversations
Should you be giving more priority to purpose and respect when it comes to the crucial conversations that happen in your business?
What happens in crucial conversations when purpose and respect lead the way?
Stop thinking that solving the issues in your business is about winning, it is about purpose and respect
How can you successfully manage a crucial conversation in your business without purpose and respect?
How to have productive crucial conversations in your business when you STATE your case…
How to use 5 steps to productive dialogue when crucial conversations occur in your business
What happens when you STATE your case, using 5 steps to productive crucial conversations in your business?
Should you be using the 5 steps to productive dialogue to resolve the issues that matter in your business?
Start with STATE when it comes to resolving the issues in your business
Navigate the crucial conversations effectively in your business with these 4 helping hands
Start building your crucial conversation skills to enable productive dialogue to be common pace in your business
How can you ensure the conversations that matter in your business have a positive outcome?
Start encouraging open dialogue in your business in the conversations that matter
Should you be navigating the crucial conversations in your business better?
LinkedIn Updates
1. There are times in your business when emotions run high and tempers flare. This is because the subject is important and matters to all parties involved. This is normal when running a business and dealing with team members, all who have different demands, deadlines and priorities. The question is, when these situations arise, how do you handle them. Click here to discover the difference to your business that handling crucial conversations well, can make.
2. Have you thought about the difference that getting crucial conversations right could mean to the future of your business? Click here to discover that Crucial conversations when you build your crucial conversation skills you will increase the strength of your team and your business
3. Conversations are constantly happening in your business, every hour of every day. These conversations will generally involve you and your team members and your customers, suppliers and other stakeholders in your business – and most of them are transactional or process- or task-related. Click here to discover the key to the success of your business recognising when a conversation changes from being an everyday conversation to a crucial one.
4. A crucial conversation is one between two or more people where there are opposing opinions, strong emotions and where the stakes are high – if these 3 elements are not present, the conversation is not considered crucial. Click here to discover how to build the skills to handle these conversations when they occur in your business.
5. How you respond to the crucial conversations that occur in your business will determine both its outcome and the affect it has had on the people involved. Click here to discover the 3 responses to a crucial conversation and the importance of choosing the right one.
6. The key to successfully navigating crucial conversations lies in understanding and mastering the three primary responses. Click here to discover more about these responses and how to choose the right one when it comes to having conversations that matter in your business.
7. In your business, crucial conversations are those that high-stakes and emotionally charged. These conversations present a number of challenges but for them to be successful, one crucial element stands out – the creation and maintenance of a shared pool of meaning. Click here to discover what this means and how to use it wisely in the crucial conversations in your business.
8. For any crucial conversation to be successful, genuine dialogue has to take place, where people not only listen, but are listened to. For this to happen the creation of a shared pool of meaning is crucial. Click here to discover what a shared pool of meaning is and the importance of it when having conversations that matter in your business.
9. For crucial conversations to be handled successfully in your business, both mutual respect and mutual purpose must be present. Click here to discover why they are so important and how to give them priority in the conversations that matter in your business.
10. Mutual purpose and mutual respect - they are integral for successfully navigating crucial conversations in your business. If either are in doubt, the conversation will likely break down because psychological safety will be lost. Click here to discover more.
11. For any crucial conversation to have a successful outcome in your business, there must be productive dialogue where each party shares their thoughts and feelings in a shared pool of meaning – but this can sometimes be difficult to manage when emotions are high. Click here to discover the 5 steps in the STATE method that will enable you to maintain that productive dialogue through the conversation.
12. Mastering the art of productive dialogue in crucial conversations is a skill that can transform conflicts into opportunities for understanding and growth. Click here to discover what happens when you STATE your case, using 5 steps to productive crucial conversations in your business.
13. How you handle crucial conversations in your business can determine whether your business succeeds or fails, however they are difficult conversations to manage, as the issues are complex, conflict is present and adrenalin is flowing. Click here to discover 4 helping hands to get you started on building your crucial conversation skills.
14. When high-stakes conversations of differing opinions and strong emotions, happen in your business, do you view them as just another massive headache to sort out or growth opportunities, both for your team and for your business? Click here to discover how to strengthen your team and your business by building your crucial conversation skills.
Facebook Posts
1. There are times in your business when emotions run high and tempers flare. This is because the subject is important and matters to all parties involved. This is normal when running a business and dealing with team members, all who have different demands, deadlines and priorities. The question is, when these situations arise, how do you handle them. Click here to discover the difference to your business that handling crucial conversations well, can make.
2. Have you thought about the difference that getting crucial conversations right could mean to the future of your business? Click here to discover that Crucial conversations when you build your crucial conversation skills you will increase the strength of your team and your business
3. Conversations are constantly happening in your business, every hour of every day. These conversations will generally involve you and your team members and your customers, suppliers and other stakeholders in your business – and most of them are transactional or process- or task-related. Click here to discover the key to the success of your business recognising when a conversation changes from being an everyday conversation to a crucial one.
4. A crucial conversation is one between two or more people where there are opposing opinions, strong emotions and where the stakes are high – if these 3 elements are not present, the conversation is not considered crucial. Click here to discover how to build the skills to handle these conversations when they occur in your business.
5. How you respond to the crucial conversations that occur in your business will determine both its outcome and the affect it has had on the people involved. Click here to discover the 3 responses to a crucial conversation and the importance of choosing the right one.
6. The key to successfully navigating crucial conversations lies in understanding and mastering the three primary responses. Click here to discover more about these responses and how to choose the right one when it comes to having conversations that matter in your business.
7. In your business, crucial conversations are those that high-stakes and emotionally charged. These conversations present a number of challenges but for them to be successful, one crucial element stands out – the creation and maintenance of a shared pool of meaning. Click here to discover what this means and how to use it wisely in the crucial conversations in your business.
8. For any crucial conversation to be successful, genuine dialogue has to take place, where people not only listen, but are listened to. For this to happen the creation of a shared pool of meaning is crucial. Click here to discover what a shared pool of meaning is and the importance of it when having conversations that matter in your business.
9. For crucial conversations to be handled successfully in your business, both mutual respect and mutual purpose must be present. Click here to discover why they are so important and how to give them priority in the conversations that matter in your business.
10. Mutual purpose and mutual respect - they are integral for successfully navigating crucial conversations in your business. If either are in doubt, the conversation will likely break down because psychological safety will be lost. Click here to discover more.
11. For any crucial conversation to have a successful outcome in your business, there must be productive dialogue where each party shares their thoughts and feelings in a shared pool of meaning – but this can sometimes be difficult to manage when emotions are high. Click here to discover the 5 steps in the STATE method that will enable you to maintain that productive dialogue through the conversation.
12. Mastering the art of productive dialogue in crucial conversations is a skill that can transform conflicts into opportunities for understanding and growth. Click here to discover what happens when you STATE your case, using 5 steps to productive crucial conversations in your business.
13. How you handle crucial conversations in your business can determine whether your business succeeds or fails, however they are difficult conversations to manage, as the issues are complex, conflict is present and adrenalin is flowing. Click here to discover 4 helping hands to get you started on building your crucial conversation skills.
14. When high-stakes conversations of differing opinions and strong emotions, happen in your business, do you view them as just another massive headache to sort out or growth opportunities, both for your team and for your business? Click here to discover how to strengthen your team and your business by building your crucial conversation skills.
Blog Posts
Blog 1 – How do you handle those moments that matter in your business?
In your business, moments will arise when there is strong disagreement, when tempers can flare between you and your team or between the team members themselves.
These moments are natural, expected even, and will likely have occurred in your personal life as well as in your business.
You no doubt have had issues with friends or relatives where emotions run high and opinions differ.
But let's focus on your business for now – when it comes to these moments, when opinions differ, tensions rise and emotions flare up, how do you or your team members react?
These confrontations can be frightening, and we generally try to avoid them as often as we can. There are likely times when you have avoided them yourself.
But avoidance does not make the issue go away – in fact, avoiding it can have far more serious repercussions on the overall health of your team and your business.
Here is the key – how you manage a conversation around these high-stakes issues can determine the success of your business, the strength of your team and your ability to move forward.
How do you tackle such a conversation, when the adrenalin is flowing and frustration is simmering?
Click here to discover how, when you build your crucial conversation skills, you will be able to deal with the important issues that arise, strengthen relationships within your team and improve the results of your business.
Blog 2 – How to recognise the signs of a crucial conversation in your business
All kinds of conversations are constantly happening in your business, every hour of every day.
These conversations will generally involve you and your team members and your customers, suppliers and other stakeholders in your business – and most of them are transactional or process- or task-related.
The key to the success of your business is not so much in how you handle these everyday conversations but in how you handle those that are more crucial.
But what is a crucial conversation? How do you recognise that a conversation is crucial and not just an everyday chat? (Of course, handle an everyday chat badly and it could quickly become a crucial conversation.)
In their book, Crucial Conversations, Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, et al., believe that a crucial conversation has 3 elements:
- Opposing Opinions – disagreement exists, and the opinions matter a great deal to each party.
- Without conflicting opinions, there is no argument or discussion to be had as everyone agrees.
- Strong Emotions – feelings are running high and the adrenalin is flowing. Each party cares about the outcome.
- If the emotions are not strong, the discussion will lack the deep emotional investment of each party as the outcome is not seen as critical.
- High-Stakes – the outcome matters a great deal.
- High stakes must be present as they create jeopardy, jeopardy creates passion and meaning and everyone has something to lose or win.
A crucial conversation is one between two or more people where there are opposing opinions, strong emotions and where the stakes are high – if these 3 elements are not present, the conversation is not considered crucial.
Think about the conversations you have in your business, or in your home for that matter, and how many of them are crucial.
Click here to discover more about recognising the signs of a crucial conversation and understanding the significance of handling these appropriately in your business.
Blog 3 – How to navigate crucial conversations in your business – 3 responses that make all the difference…
In your life, both business and personal, you will often find yourself faced with crucial conversations – those pivotal moments where the stakes are high, emotions are strong, and opinions differ.
How you respond in such a situation can significantly impact its outcome and can cause a profound effect on your business relationships.
The key to successfully navigating crucial conversations lies in understanding and mastering the three primary responses:
- Silence – silence can sometimes be a powerful response in a crucial conversation, but its effectiveness depends on the intent behind it. There is a difference between healthy silence, where you take a moment to collect your thoughts and choose your words wisely, and harmful silence, which stems from avoidance or fear of conflict.
- Violence – violence, in the context of crucial conversations, refers to any response that is forceful, defensive or disrespectful. This can be manifested in various forms, such as raised voices, accusations, blame-shifting or even physical gestures that convey hostility. Violence escalates the matter, making resolution much more difficult.
- Dialogue – dialogue is the key to transforming crucial conversations into opportunities for growth and understanding. It involves an open exchange of ideas, active listening, and a genuine commitment to finding a solution that meets the needs of all parties involved.
When you acknowledge the need to have a crucial conversation in your business because you recognise the 3 elements of crucial issues (opposing opinions, strong emotions, high stakes), this then allows you to choose the best possible response.
Which one will you choose?
Click here to discover how to choose the right response in critical moments. When you do, you can turn crucial conversations into catalysts for positive change and strengthened relationships in your business.
Blog 4 – Dive into a shared pool and successfully manage the crucial conversations in your business
In your business, crucial conversations are those that high-stakes and emotionally charged.
Manage them successfully and they hold the key to resolving conflicts, making critical decisions and strengthening relationships.
Amidst the challenges that these conversations present, one crucial element stands out – the creation and maintenance of a shared pool of meaning.
At the core of the book Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny, et al., is the pursuit of genuine respectful dialogue.
This dialogue involves building a shared pool of thoughts and ideas.
At the beginning of the conversation, we rarely share the same pool. They generally start something like this:
‘I believe one thing, you another, I have my truth, you yours, I have one story, you another…’
For genuine dialogue to take place and for the conversation to be successful, all parties must feel safe to contribute their own views to a shared pool of meaning – no matter how divisive, how controversial or how different they are from those of the other parties involved.
This shared pool of meaning will serve as the foundation for effective communication.
It is the common ground where all parties can share and understand the key issues, goals and perspectives at play. If this pool is not present, the conversation will be misaligned, leading to misunderstandings and further conflict.
When done right, the shared pool of meaning allows all individuals involved in the crucial conversation to share their unique viewpoints. When this happens, it not only enriches the conversation but opens the door to problem-solving and solutions, allowing for a resolution to be reached that is not ‘your way, or my way – but a new way’.
“A larger shared pool of meaning leads to better decisions, better relationships, and more unified action.” – Crucial Conversations, by Joseph Grenny, et al.
Click here to discover how to use a shared pool of meaning in your crucial conversations to successfully resolve the issues.
Blog 5 – How to navigate the crucial conversations in your business with purpose and respect…
In your business, crucial conversations demand a delicate dance of genuine dialogue, where the steps are guided by two essential elements – mutual purpose and mutual respect.
They are integral for successfully navigating crucial conversations in your business. If either are in doubt, the conversation will likely break down because psychological safety will be lost.
Your team feel safe when they are certain of your intentions or of the intentions of the other members of the team.
Mutual Purpose – This means that you care about the other party's concerns – really care – and want to pursue a healthy, constructive conversation, working towards finding a shared goal and, ultimately, a resolution – not your way, not my way – a new way.
Ask the other party to share their thoughts and ideas and actively listen to their responses. Encourage them to share how they feel and repeat it back to them. This will in turn motivate them to ask you for your thoughts and feelings.
Only then will you be able to work towards a mutual purpose together.
Mutual Respect – “When we recognise that we all have weaknesses, it’s easier to find a way to (genuinely) respect others.” Crucial Conversations, by Joseph Grenny, et al.
Respect is the currency of an effective crucial conversation, and its importance cannot be overstated. Fail to show it, and it's all people can think about. Once a person realises that they are being treated with disrespect, the conversation is irrelevant, leading to defensive postures, communication breakdown and a toxic work environment.
Maintaining respect in crucial conversations is not just a nicety but a strategic imperative. It involves a simple commitment to honouring each other as human beings with similar wants and desires – that doesn’t sound too bad, does it?
Click here to discover more about the importance of purpose and respect, and how they can be the guiding lights that lead the way to success in crucial conversations in your business.
Blog 6 – The power of a successful crucial conversation starts with STATE
When a crucial conversation needs to be had in your business, you want to do it right. You want productive dialogue, and you don’t want your team to go into ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode.
Productive dialogue relies on your building a shared pool of meaning. Here is a proven formula for navigating these challenging discussions from the book Crucial Conversations.
The 5 steps in the STATE method will enable you to maintain that productive dialogue all the way through the conversation.
Share your facts – these are the facts that are indisputable and obvious to all.
For example, if the conversation is because of a missed target or deadline, start by stating the deadline date and the actual date of completion – these are hard facts.
Tell your story – your version of the facts, sharing the impact that this issue has had on you and others.
For example, explain the impact of the missed deadline on you and on the work you do – perhaps there are cost implications or unhappy customers or suppliers. Sharing this will allow the other party to understand your feelings, emotions and perspective.
Ask for other views – ask others to share their stories and encourage them to be as honest and open as possible; really listen to what they have to say.
For example, ask for the reasons behind the delay and the issues and challenges that caused it. When you do this, you encourage a more open conversation and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.
Talk Tentatively – take the arrogance, emotion and resistance out of the conversation by using respectful language.
For example, instead of using inflammatory language such as ‘You never hit deadlines’, express your thoughts in a way that fosters working together. Try saying, ‘It’s not the first occasion where deadlines were missed, and I'm curious to understand the reasons behind that and keen to help in any way I can.’
Encourage testing – embrace all views; you are seeking a third way – not just your way or theirs, but the best way.
Openly show a desire to hear feedback and alternative viewpoints and encourage the other party to share their thoughts and contribute to finding a mutually agreeable solution. This will generate a culture of continuous improvement and learning within your team and business.
When you state your own case appropriately and and urge others to state their cases as well, you increase the likelihood of turning the conversation from one that is potentially damaging into one that is constructive and one which will lead to the best decision and to buy-in from all parties.
Mastering the art of productive dialogue in crucial conversations is a skill that can transform conflicts into opportunities for understanding and growth.
Click here to learn more about the STATE method and how it can bring structure to the crucial conversations in your business.
Blog 7 – 4 helping hands to enable you to navigate the challenging conversation in your business
How you handle crucial conversations in your business can determine whether your business succeeds or fails.
These high-stakes conversations of differing opinions and strong emotions, when handled appropriately, will serve as opportunities for growth, both for your team and for your business.
But they are not easy to manage, as the issues are complex, conflict is present and adrenalin is flowing.
It takes skill to get these conversations right and it takes commitment to build that skill.
Here are 4 helping hands to help you build the skills of open and constructive dialogue in your crucial conversations:
1. Recognise you are in a crucial conversation – the issue is important, both sides disagree and emotions are running high. Avoid the fight–flight–freeze response and seek productive dialogue instead.
2. Pursue deep
understanding – be curious, actively listen and listen intently, rephrase what the other party says to ensure they know you have heard them. Don’t interrupt with your view or talk over them – remember, this is a conversation.
3. Seek out mutual respect and mutual purpose – show that you care about the other person's feelings, concerns, emotions and goals. Show that you respect them as an individual and are committed to resolving the issue.
4. STATE your case – Take the path of productive dialogue. Share your facts. Tell your story. Respectfully Ask for their understanding of the facts and their story. Talk tentatively throughout. Encourage alternative views through mutual respect, mutual purpose and mutual understanding.
When you recognise and value the significance of these conversations, you and your team will create an environment that encourages open dialogue, leading to stronger bonds and ultimately driving positive change in your business.
Click here to discover how to build your crucial conversation skills to enable you to resolve important issues in your business and improve your results and relationships.
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Your business wins when you build your crucial conversation skills…
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There may be times in your business when feelings run high, emotions are raw and you clash with team members or they clash with each other.
This happens in everyday life, so it is only natural, when your business matters so much, that it should happen in the workplace as well.
How do you handle these situations?
Do you fight, flee or freeze? And did you know there is another way?
In this 'Crucial Moments Decide' edition of Business Breakthrough you will learn, in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea:
- the 3 elements of any crucial issue in your business and how recognising them can help you choose your ‘dialogue’
- the role that purpose and respect play when dealing with any high-emotion conflict in your business
- the five steps to productive dialogue
Click here to discover how to build your crucial conversation skills to enable you to resolve important issues in your business and improve your results and relationships.
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