Crucial Conversations
FOR MASTERING DIALOGUE

The Standard in Effective Communication

Backed by 30 years of social science, Crucial Conversations skills represent the standard in effective communication and the marker of high performance individuals and organizations.

Improve Your Communication Skills

When it comes to the health of relationships, teams, and organizations, one thing affects everything: communication. Improve your skills and get better outcomes with this free assessment, ebook, and video miniseries.

Emily Gregory teaching the Crucial Conversations Miniseries
Crucial Conversations Miniseries

Learn skills to disagree better and dialogue more in this free video series.

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Costly Conversations eBook

Research shows that poor dialogue has a high cost. Learn more about the impact of communication and how to improve it.

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Confident and Calm Woman
Style Under Stress Assessment

When faced with an argument, do you dig in, or give in? Shut down, or lash out? Take the Style Under Stress assessment and find out.

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For the Moments that Matter Most

Communication Training

The communication skills we teach focus on a specific kind of interaction: those when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. Ours is not a course on winning friends or winning people to your way of thinking; it’s about strengthening relationships and securing results in the moments that matter most.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

The course teaches nine powerful skills for working through disagreement to achieve better results.

GET UNSTUCK

Identify problems contributing to poor results and struggling relationships.

MASTER MY STORIES

Keep composure when feeling angry or defensive and identify what stories you may be telling yourself.

START WITH HEART

Be clear with yourself and others about what you really want.

STATE MY PATH

Share strong opinions without shutting down others’ viewpoints.

MAKE IT SAFE

Create safety so you can talk with almost anyone about almost anything.

LEARN TO LOOK

Spot the warning signs that indicate safety and dialogue are at risk.

Seek Mutual Purpose

Find common ground even when it seems impossible.

EXPLORE OTHERS’ PATHS

Listen and respond effectively to other people’s concerns and feedback.

MOVE TO ACTION

Turn each Crucial Conversation into a course of action that leads to better outcomes.

Learning Formats

Course Agenda

10 Lessons 6–8 hrs

1. Get Unstuck

30 – 45 mins

  • Spot the conversations that are keeping you from what you want.

  • Choose the right conversation to get unstuck.

2. Master My Stories I

30 – 45 mins

  • Learn where emotions come from and how to change them.

  • Take responsibility for the emotions you bring to the conversation by owning your story.

3. Master My Stories II

30 – 45 mins

  • Eliminate negative stories that impede conversations and results.

4. Start With Heart

30 – 45 mins

  • Stay focused on what you really want.

  • Lay a foundation of good intent.

5. State My Path

30 – 45 mins

  • Speak honestly and respectfully.

  • Share tough messages in a way that invites others into the conversation.

6. Make It Safe

30 – 45 mins

  • Take steps to rebuild safety when others get defensive.

  • Talk with almost anyone about almost anything.

7. Learn to Look

30 – 45 mins

  • Notice the signs that people are not in dialogue.

  • Identify and manage your own Style Under Stress.

8. Seek Mutual Purpose

30 – 45 mins

  • Recognize when you’re at odds in a conversation.

  • Find common ground even when it seems impossible.

9. Explore Others’ Paths

30 – 45 mins

  • Actively listen to understand the meaning behind others’ emotions and actions.

  • Respond productively when someone initiates a Crucial Conversation with you.

10. Move to Action

30 – 45 mins

  • Move from healthy dialogue to taking action and achieving results.

Course Agenda

5 Sessions 12.5 hrs

1. Get Unstuck and Master My Stories I

2.5 hrs

  • Spot the conversations that are keeping you from what you want.
  • Choose the right conversation to get unstuck.
  • Learn where emotions come from and how to change them.
  • Take responsibility for the emotions you bring to the conversation by owning your story.
2. Master My Stories II and Start With Heart

2.5 hrs

  • Eliminate negative stories that impede conversations and results.
  • Stay focused on what you really want.
  • Lay a foundation of good intent.
3. State My Path and Make It Safe

2.5 hrs

  • Speak honestly and respectfully.
  • Share tough messages in a way that invites others into the conversation.
  • Take steps to rebuild safety when others get defensive.
  • Talk with almost anyone about almost anything.
4. Learn To Look and Seek Mutual Purpose

2.5 hrs

  • Notice the signs that people are not in dialogue.
  • Identify and manage your own Style Under Stress.
  • Recognize when safety is at risk because you’re at odds.
  • Find common ground even when it seems impossible.
5. Explore Others’ Paths & Move To Action

2.5 hrs

  • Actively listen to understand the meaning behind others’ emotions and actions.
  • Respond productively when someone initiates a Crucial Conversation with you.
  • Move from healthy dialogue to taking action and achieving results.

Course Agenda

10 Lessons 13 hrs

1. Get Unstuck

90 mins

  • Spot the conversations that are keeping you from what you want.
  • Choose the right conversation to get unstuck.
2. Master My Stories I

30 mins

  • Learn where emotions come from and how to change them.
  • Take responsibility for the emotions you bring to the conversation by owning your story.
3. Master My Stories II

75 mins

  • Eliminate negative stories that impede conversations and results.
4. Start With Heart

60 mins

  • Stay focused on what you really want.
  • Lay a foundation of good intent.
5. State My Path

105 mins

  • Speak honestly and respectfully.
  • Share tough messages in a way that invites others into the conversation.
6. Make It Safe

90 mins

  • Take steps to rebuild safety when others get defensive.
  • Talk with almost anyone about almost anything.
7. Learn to Look

45 mins

  • Notice the signs that people are not in dialogue.
  • Identify and manage your own Style Under Stress.
8. Seek Mutual Purpose

90 mins

  • Recognize when safety is at risk because you’re at odds.
  • Find common ground even when it seems impossible.
9. Explore Others’ Paths

105 mins

  • Actively listen to understand the meaning behind others’ emotions and actions.
  • Respond productively when someone initiates a Crucial Conversation with you.
10. Move To Action

30 mins

  • Move from healthy dialogue to taking action and achieving results.

WORK IN HEALTHCARE?

Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is also available as a healthcare course, featuring lessons, scenarios, and exercises that address the challenges healthcare professionals face.

BASED ON THE BESTSELLER

Get your copy of the New York Times bestseller and business classic that has revolutionized interpersonal success for millions of people worldwide.

What dividends will you reap from dialogue?

PRODUCTIVITY

Sprint reported a 93% improvement in meeting productivity metrics.

TEAMWORK

Employees at MaineGeneral Health were 16% more likely to speak up and resolve problems with colleagues after going through Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue.

SAFETY

Pride International reduced safety incidents by 55% in one year.

Cost

AT&T reduced billing costs by 30% and Sprint reduced customer care expenses by $20 million annually.

Engagement

Rocky Mountain Equipment reduced turnover from 30 to 16%.

Satisfaction

San Antonio Independent School District saw a 50% drop in grievances that previously clogged the administrative system.

LET’S TALK

See if Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is right for your team. Complete the form to speak with a client advisor.

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Preview the Course

Watch the video to learn more about course skills, learning formats, and delivery options.


25 Min Video

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CRUCIAL CONSULTING

Need hands-on help for a tough organizational challenge? Go beyond the classroom with Crucial Consulting. Our consultants will work with your leaders to identify what’s contributing to your challenges and design and implement a strategy to influence the behavior of your people for better results.

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