Nothing new in this book, it copies things from other books and audio cd's. It is a ok read, but not sure if I would recommend anyone to read it. One thing I totally didn't like was the chapter telling you that sometimes it's ok to go to bed angry. I was thought never go to bed angry and I do not think that is a rule to break.

A very good book with lots of specific, helpful tools to help you navigate difficult, emotionally-charged, conversations. I was a little put off by all the cute acronyms summarizing various steps along the way - CRIB, STATE, AMPPP, etc. - but in total agreement with their main points that in order to get people to add to the pool of meaning, you have to help them feel safe.

People interested in this topic should also look at the Glaser's book "Be Quiet, Be Heard" which covers similar material and presents models that I found are more intuitive and therefore easier to remember.

I feel this book can help with Crucial Conversations at home as well as in the workplace. If applied, it can improve basic interpersonal relationships and improve your life as well as those around you. Excellent, easy to read and understand, and gives the hows to put into practice.

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book. I was simply reading it because a friend recommended it as a help for some of the team unity problems I was facing.

"Crucial Conversations" was a life-changer for me because it gave really practical ways on how to step up to the plate and resolve communication conflicts. I believe that it's already helped in the way I view everything that I spit out of my mouth - not to mention how I simply now observe dialog.

I would strongly recommend this book for people who are stepping into a leadership role for the first time - regardless if they consider themselves excellent at gritty dialog or not.

"Crucial Conversations" is also really useful for newlyweds who are learning the ropes to developing a solid foundation in their relationship.

This book was a lot of fun to read, as I laughed often realizing how the authors were describing me to a "T" (and I'm one who would consider themselves pretty stinkin' good at dialog). I'm sure I'll be going back to it time and time again in the near future.

As with many of these management development books, there are many pages just making up pages!

However the content is excellent and will be very helpful to those who regularly work in challenging environments, or even in their homelife where conversations just seem to run away or not get results.

If you find this book useful - consider books on Question Thinking also.

This book quickly became a priceless asset in my toolkit.

You'll want to know that the writing style in this book makes the author's ideas very easy to understand. Their concepts are made very solid with thorough description and multiple examples. Every tip and technique is almost immediately applicable at some level or another in your everyday life, whether at home, business or a party.

The ideas and techniques in this book will help you create opportunities to talk about even the most uncomfortable topics with the most challenging people under the least ideal circumstances, and still have a shot at a win-win experience.

The biggest compliment I can give to the authors is that their work offers a doorway to empowerment in communication. Understanding and using these concepts can mean the crucial difference in your success in environments where communication is challenging and failure can result in dangerous consequences.

One of the most amazing aspects is that the person you are talking with does NOT have to have the same skill set in order for your conversation to be successful. Your understanding and use of the ideas and techniques in Crucial Conversations will be what's needed to get both of you there.

I think that one of the most beneficial aspects of this book is that the information can be used to create amazing relationships with other people using verbal communication.

I offer consultation services to both individuals and organizations and I've found the tips priceless at every level. Emotions often run very high when it comes to animals and it's imperative on so many levels to ensure that what you need to say, does get said and the audience remains receptive to it. When people come to you for help, you not only need to really understand the subject and technical aspects, but you need to get the ideas to your client in a manner that allows them to be part of a conversation with you, not just a student. You can create an environment where that is possible after you've read Crucial Conversations.

Just knowing what you want out of the conversation is often helpful enough, but being able to identify whether it is content, a pattern or a relationship issue also proves valuable.

My recommendation would be to practice the skills, in addition to reading the book. Truly practice. The act of engaging and experiencing the concepts brings you to a completely higher level of understanding and just adds to your odds of a successful conversation when the stakes are high.

I wonder what widespread knowledge and use of Crucial Conversations would do to reduce our divorce rate, or the lawsuit happy activities of America?

When you are at the point where you want to walk out the door and never return, this crucial information could bring you back from the edge. You won't be disappointed that you bought this book, or invested the time to read it and practice what it teaches.

I read the book in three days. My favorite conversant idea had to do with adding to the "pool of knowlege". I think if people don't state what they think a good outcome can not be found.

This book will provide you with handy ideas and techniques to deal with difficult situations. We may not realize, but the first dialog starts within us, and often we operate in the auto-pilot mode. In today's complex world, not recognizing this is a recipe for troubled relations - regardless of whether you are dealing with heads of state, companies, or ordinary individuals. Missed opportunities to connect, and have meaningful dialog have led to "preventable" human catastrophies and wars.

The search however has to begin with you - because it is inside you that strife first begins. Super imposed on that is conditioning that has occurred for years - which leads to missed cues, and misunderstandings.

Be careful however; both parties have to be at least some what willing to connect. Dialog is never a one way street, and trust is at the root of building confidence in the opposite party. This is vital and the authors address it under "safety" - making conditions safe for honest and open dialog to occur. Cultural differences, belief systems, and upbringing lie sub-surface in all such interactions. These manifest in the form of personality and behavior of individuals. The book is light in this area; I wish the authors had done more on these topics - since they are often the gateway to get started.

I suggest you also read People Styles at Work, and What Type Am I to get a more comprehensive understanding. It will take your ability to hold crucial conversations to the next level!

The female narrator has a crisp clear tone in her delivery. Very good for a hard of hearing listener like myself. The material is first rate, I have listened to many such books over the years, and this one boils down the essential elements to a three tape book. Quite nice.

Maybe it is just burn out on my case, but the self promoting forward by stephen covey almost made me turn the tape off as I drove Interstate 80. This guy is like Dr Phil, he's everywhere and he is so...ah...perfect.

A friend of mine purchased this book as part of her work at a major corporation that does out-bound sales and in-bound customer service. She was accsued of being overly-emotional and brash with ehr colleagues and her boss wanted her to tone it down. THis is an excellent book for toning it down. It has an extensive personality test in the beggining that elucidates the readers conversational styel and whether they do thing the 'correct' way according to the authors or the 'wrong' way and are thus brash and emotion and 'attacking' the people they speak with.

So this book helps breed out all the bad traits of the human being. While a leader might be a genious and original he may not be taking the feelings of others into account, he might be avoiding having tough covnersations with those he hates, or she might be mean to people and run them down when lecturing them. This book helps to give one tools on how to have conversations, especially difficult ones.

The book will certainly influence those that want to be influenced. All the lines of What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People this book coaches and turns people into good automotons, like the salarymen of Japan, who are all nice and disarming and empowering.

It depends on the eyes of the beholder.

Seth J. Frantzman

Sometimes the examples are pedantic, but the points are very important. As with many books like this, you need to keep re-reading and refreshing yourself on its lessons to fully benefit. If in a relationship, would be best if both read it.

I highly recommend "Crucial Conversations" for everyone. It can help both personally and professionally. As a leadership coach, I encourage my clients to read this book.

Recently a client was having problems with a direct report. Avoiding the situation was her usual response, hoping it would go away.

This time though, we role-played how she could handle the conversation, using the technique of starting with the facts which the authors suggest will help build safety. Often what happens is folks start with accusations, which will kill safety, and most likely result in defensiveness. Then there's a stalmate. My client is going to try this new approach and I've got a good feeling will have positive results.

This is a book about how to effectively communicate with others during crucial moments that happen to everyone. They're the day-to-day conversations that affect our life. The book offers useful tips in both dealing with your coworkers and at home with your family. It is often said that the quality of your life often comes out of the quality of your dialogues and conversations. For example, if you find out that your 16 year old daughter is on the pill, how do you effectively confront her without making the situation worse? How do you get your point across without offending anyone? How do you communicate clearly to get everyone on your bandwagon? What are the skills and techniques for working together that will enable you to win the largest contracts?

According to the authors, this book will give you the tools to handle life's most difficult conversations. You'll learn how to:

(a) Prepare for high-stakes situations both at work and at home.
(b) Transform anger and hurt feelings into powerful dialogue.
(c) Make it safe to talk about almost anything (which is sometimes difficult at home, especially with your kids).
(d) Be persuasive, not abrasive. This is especially useful in business and the political arena.

I found the following paragraphs in the foreword section by Stephen Covey quite interesting:

"I can see the wisdom in the assertion of the great historian Arnold Toynbee, who said that you can pretty well summarize all of history--not only of society, but of institutions and of people--in four words: Nothing fails like success. In other words, when a challenge in life is met by a response that is equal to it, you have success. But when the challenge moves to a higher level, the old, once successful response no longer works--it fails; thus, nothing fails like success." (xi)

"What you learn is that "crucial conversations" transform people and relationships. They are anything but transacted; they create an entirely new level of bonding. They produce what Buddhism calls "the middle way"--not a compromise between two opposites on a straight-line continuum, but a higher middle way, like the apex of a triangle. Because two or more people have created something new from genuine dialogue, bonding takes place--just like the bonding that takes place in family or marriage when a new child is created. When you produce something with another person that is truly creative, it's one of the most powerful forms of bonding there is. In fact the bonding is so strong that you simply would not be disloyal in his or her absence, even if there were social pressure to join others in bad-mouthing." (xii)

What makes one of your conversations crucial as opposed to plain vanilla? First, opinions vary. For example, you think you are ready for a promotion, but your boss thinks you are not. Second, stakes are high. For example, you've got to do something different or your company isn't going to hit its annual goals. Third, emotions run strong. For example, a discussion with your spouse about someone she thinks you are flirting with.

One of the main tools you will learn in effectively talking when stakes are high is to withdraw yourself from the situation and become a spectator. Only then can you see the big picture and what the problem really is. By detaching yourself, you also remove any emotions you might have concerning the subject at hand. Only when you see what the problem really is and how to effectively approach it and communicate your thoughts clearly without emotion can you reenter the conversation.

The authors claim that by reading this book, you will never have to worry about another conversation again. But reading it is not enough. Practice makes perfect! And remember: to know and not to do is really not to know.

This book is needed in the church. The old saying goes "You do not talk politics or religion at work." The reason for this statement is because of the emotions connected to the topic of religion. People can become highly passionate about Biblical topics. This is why this book must be read by every preacher and elder within the church. We are constantly engaging in crucial conversations. This book gives the practical skills in addressing these difficult times. It breaks down the process of communication into easy steps for healthy dialogue. Preachers, this book will save you much stress and trouble in your congregations. If you need a great book on people skills, this is it. This book will help you in church and in your homes. I highly recommend this title.

I included this book as part of my "readings" in a quest for personal improvement (for the sake of those I manage). The book was a little too basic and "touchy - feely" for me. I would recommend it for those who need the fundamentals skills or want multiple perspectives. If you looking for something more detailed, you might want to keep looking. A suggestion would be to check out Dr. Steven Stowell's book Win-Win Partnerships: Be on the Leading Edge with Synergistic Coachin. I think he covers everything discussed in this book and takes is a step further. You might also look for something else in the category of communicating skills, giving feedback, or emotional intelligence depending on your specific needs. It won't hurt to have this, but I think you'll want more.

This book was a most enjoyable read but left me with a touch of ambivalence. As a handbook for communicating more effectively, it's helpful but perhaps a bit simplistic.

"Crucial conversations" are defined as those in which opinions vary, the stakes are high, and emotions run strong. The book targets situations in business and personal life, and is extremely readable with its many illustrative dialogues from both sectors. An extensive vocabulary is introduced and I've had some of the terms floating like a ghostly subtext under my own conversations: Sucker's Choice; Safety; Salute and Stay Mute; Silence or Violence; Freeze Your Lover; Pool of Shared Meaning. It's all useful even if reductionist.

The techniques offered for effective negotiation are generally quite obvious, yet they bear repeating and codifying. They are, however, techniques, and as such they probably won't give earth-shaking results without an understanding of what's making people tick. Conversation and negotiation are so much more than technique.

CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS is an ideal offering for the best-seller market and would be a great springboard for leadership development workshops.

My two picks for the best advice in this book:

(1) Stay focused on what you really want.
(2) If you give this book to a partner or business associate, don't take a yellow highlighter to the parts you think they need before you give it; better to work on your own side of the crucial conversations.

Linda Bulger, 2007

I'm like a few others on here and was given this book by my management team in hopes that we'd all learn something. Failure by management to follow-up with discussion and practice makes this book, stand alone, a good read but better for group/team facilitation and work.

As far as the techniques, yes they are good and worthwhile to emulate but another reviewer pointed out that communication is further complicated by ones person, character, emotions, and perspective. While I wouldnt expect the book to examine a persons entirety, it doesnt completely cover those elements.

I feel the scenarios and examples are well worth the time and re-read for all of us so say, "Yeah been-there, done-that" and learn from our mistakes. I know I went into several conversations differently after reading this book and the outcomes were well worth managing myself to what I learned.

I keep it and use it as a reference for potential issues I know are coming. We also read the "Art of Possibility" (Stone Zander)

If you're a manager, DO NOT buy this book for your employees and hope they learn something, particularly if you think this is good enough to stand alone w/o discussion. Group brainstorm viable books and research them before diving into what looks 'cool'.

We are using this book in our department to help with improving customer service and communication on all levels of service. Excellent resource. Each employee was given a copy of the book.

The seller had the wrong book down for sale. It would be easy to do since the author had a similar named book. I was very impressed with the quick response to correct the problem. They credited the whole amount back and said I can keep the book. It is great to see a trustworthy, reputable, seller out there today - doing the right thing. I would highly recommend doing business with this seller again.

ordered 15 copies to distribute around our department... received rave reviews from everyone who read it.

Wow! It's amazing how often I see my friends, family and MYSELF in both examples and in the strategies (some good, some bad!).

This is a great book to come upon when one needs it. Obviously, some have been forced to read it by a boss... and I'm not so sure that the message gets across that way.

Does this book cure all of the social inequities of the workplace? Of course not - that's not what it even attempts to do!

Rather, it's a series of tools for enhancing communication and, for many of us, these tools are a surprising way of looking at all conversations - particularly the non-productive ones.

Do I recommend this book? 100%!!! Would I give it as a gift to someone who "needed" it? Maybe not. It's best found when the time is right, not forced on someone when the time is wrong.

Very good book for succesful managers, but also for amateurs interested in improving their communication skills. Of course, for some professionals that one may be "just another one".

Do we need a book to tell us that if we and/or our conversational partners are overly emotional or argumentative, create an uncomfortable or unsafe setting, clam up, will not listen, are incapable of adaptation or appreciating other views, or are not overly bright that chances for conversational success are greatly diminished. The author's message is that in the absence of these negativities, that basically free-flowing dialog where all the relevant information is brought into the open will result in effective communication. The emphasis in the book is within business organizations, in particular between employees and employers, although the ideas pertain to all other so-called high stakes conversations between various persons. However, the book absolutely fails to deal with conversational reality.

It is readily obvious that the authors are consultants to the business community (managers), because of their dismissal of the power differentials in the workplace. Their citing of a few brave employees who questioned or contradicted a top manager, serves merely to reinforce the hazards to employees for speaking out in the workplace. Of course, such non-controversial topics as safety, productivity, or where to have the company picnic can be broached. Fundamental topics such as policies, strategies, products, marketing, structures, or personnel are invariably off limits. If the authors wanted to be serious about conversations within businesses, they would propose democratic participation structures, where workers or their elected representatives could freely, without fear of retribution, address any and all issues, not just the safe ones. Bravery or putting one's job on the line would not be necessary.

It is hardly just within businesses where crucial conversations are prevented despite one's best efforts. Bureaucracies and other barriers are often initiated specifically to prevent conversations. Try talking to an insurance company about drug or treatment denial. Try talking to a sales person about a corporate product or service. Try getting through a telephone answering system only to be stonewalled by an "associate." Try talking to a doctor about treatments or, better yet, fees. Try talking to a department head about the nature or conduct of your education. The list is endless where most people do not have a chance of a meaningful or effective conversation.

This book is like so many other "blame the victim" notions. If you are not having good conversations, it must be because "you" don't have the right "tools" to converse. It can't be that the person you are talking to has the power to inflict damage or is within a structure where they can simply ignore you or dispense pabulum. A democracy is based above all on wide-ranging conversation among equal citizens with hopefully widely accepted resolutions. Maybe some day in the US we will try a form of democracy within all of our organizations in which "conversations" are not one-sided with the possibility of punishment for even speaking. Now there is an idea for the authors to grasp.

Do we need a book to tell us that if we and/or our conversational partners are overly emotional or argumentative, create an uncomfortable or unsafe setting, clam up, will not listen, are incapable of adaptation or appreciating other views, or are not overly bright that chances for conversational success are nil. The message is that in the absence of these negativities, that basically free-flowing dialog where all the relevant information is brought into the open will result in effective communication. The emphasis in the book is within business organizations, in particular between employees and employers, although the ideas pertain to all other so-called high stakes conversations between various persons. However, the book absolutely fails to deal with conversational reality.

It is readily obvious that the authors are consultants to the business community (managers), because of their dismissal of the power differentials in the workplace. Their citing of a few brave employees who questioned or contradicted a top manager, serves merely to reinforce the hazards to employees for speaking out in the workplace. Of course, such harmless topics as safety, productivity, or where to have the company picnic can be broached. Fundamental topics such as policies, strategies, products, marketing, structures, or personnel are invariably off limits. If the authors wanted to be serious about conversations within businesses, they would propose democratic participation structures, where workers or their elected representatives could freely, without fear of retribution, address any and all issues, not just the safe ones. Bravery or putting one's job on the line would not be necessary.

It is hardly just within businesses where crucial conversations are prevented despite one's best efforts. Bureaucracies and other barriers are often initiated specifically to prevent conversations. Try talking to an insurance company about drug or treatment denial. Try talking to a sales person about a corporate product or service. Try getting through a telephone answering system only to be stonewalled by an "associate." Try talking to a doctor about treatments or, better yet, fees. Try talking to a department head about the nature or conduct of your education. The list is endless where most people do not have a chance of a meaningful conversation that actually results in addressing a concern.

This book is like so many other "blame the victim" notions. If you are not having good conversations, it must be because "you" don't have the right tools to converse. It can't be that the person you are talking to has the power to inflict damage or is within a structure where they can simply ignore you or dispense pabulum. A democracy is based above all on wide-ranging conversation among equal citizens with hopefully widely accepted resolutions. Maybe some day in the US we will try democracy within all of our organizations in which "conversations" are not one-sided with the possibility of punishment for even speaking. Now there is an idea for the authors to grasp.

So very true....we move to either silence or violence...why not have a tool to charter those waters to resolution without either silence or violence.

Although this book takes far to long to get to the point, it is a worthy collection of well structured ideas that can really be implemented.
More worked examples would help, especially illustrating how all the acronyms they come up with representing techniques fit together. Many of the ideas are well known, so the benefit of this book is to bring so many ideas together in a digestible format.

A readable and useful book on dealing with difficult conversation topics.

The authors present an approach based on quality information sharing and mutual respect.

Difficult real-life examples are studied in a "before and after" style, once without the method, and then with the method presented in the book.

Crucial Conversations is one of the best books I've read about how to hold a difficult conversation without blaming the other person or getting entangled in one's own drama. It offers practical tools for clarifying what you want for yourself, for the other person and for the relationship before you even start the conversation. Other topics include how to tune in to your own stories that get in the way of dealing with an issue; how to deal with someone who doesn't feel safe and is acting out; and how to manage yourself when you're angry, scared or hurt and trying to work through a difficult issue with someone. Information is presented in an easy to understand format with lots of stories and examples to demonstrate concepts. A fantastic guide that offers insight as well as tools, way beyond the usual self-help books.

If you have no need to communicate with anyone in this world, then this book is bound to be a waste. But, but, but - for all other situations this is a priceless addition to your library. Contains useful advice and explanations on how to communicate better both in personal and professional settings. Of course, the recommendations and suggestions need to be tweaked according to your personality and lifestyle, but mostly this works well, and there aren't too many books out there that do a better job. Go and get your own copy - you will thank me later!

People talk less and less these days about the things that really matter, the things that inspire and hurt us, and the ending results usually mean break offs in our relationships and jobs. This book is a wake up call to all of us that somehow got the message that it's not ok to talk through things. Simple tips and techniques are offered to help us move past the discomfort of bringing up sensitive topics and onto a path where we can constructively work through issues with the people we are most heavily invested. Halfway through the book, I've begun to implement some of the tips and see a huge positive change in how my efforts are being received. This is both a great business and relationship book...highly recommended to anyone with a relationship worth maintaining.

I know people who really get a lot out of this book. Good book for recognizing and speaking up in high-importance conversations. There's a quiz which clues readers in on where they should concentrate their efforts. However, after the quiz (maybe 20% in to the book) it became very redundant. I was glad my boss paid for it and not me.

I was told about this book by a colleague at work, and I am very glad I took her advice in reading it. It offers steps and strategies to effectively communicate and have important discussions without causing unnecessary conflict and hurt feelings. I have already found this to be helpful in my conversations at work, school, and in my personal life.

This book has provided me with an outline to understand and share tools to help manage difficult conversations. I've found myself learning many of the lessons this book has nicely detailed the hard way, and find that owning this book helps re-enforce lessons I've learned (and learning new lessons) on handling difficult conversations both in the workplace and at home. I would encourage anyone interested in handling their relationships with others better to take a serious look at this book.

Who doesn't hate admitting that they read self-help books? Unfortunately, like most people I know, I have personnel and personal problems and self-help books can offer a fresh point of view. Mostly I find that self-help books disappoint. "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High" by Kerry Patterson was a pleasant surprise. It would be a far better world if everyone read this book and took its lessons to heart.

I'm not a fan of self-help books or motivational speakers. Usually I'm driven off by the smarmy tone or self-serving verbal gimmicks. But that's not what you get with Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.

The purpose of this book is to teach skills for managing verbal dialogue in the face of emotional conflict. The authors stay focused on this topic, teaching a series of behavioral, planning, and interpretive techniques for developing a more effective communication style. They are NOT selling happiness, fulfillment, total quality satisfaction, competitive transformation, etc.

Crucial Conversations uses a variety of instructional methods (examples, diagrams, memory devices, and repetition) to reinforce a modest set of techniques. It avoids gimmicks and hyperbole. The writing is smooth enough to be readable, without diluting the message with entertainment.

Probably I should wait a few months before writing this review. The authors point out that their dialogue skills can't be mastered without sustained practice and review. But already the book has made me more aware of my own conversational habits and responses. I've got some "crucial conversations" coming up and I'm looking forward to trying some techniques to ratchet down the emotion and cultivate information flow.

Learn which behaviors help you get ahead in the business world. This book is perfect for anyone looking to develop leadership skills.

This is kind of a fluffy business book... I generally hate these books, but this one has a creamy nougat center of knowledge that I've never encountered before. At 200 pages, its a must read. Please ignore the Franklin Covey vibe: the authors really have something important to say.

This book solidifies what many have said before: those who genuinely understand how to communicate have all the power in this world. It's not about knowledge, skills, manipulation, or strength... Those who can get groups of people who distrust each other to come to genuine consensus will always have power. Why? Because its so incredibly difficult... and its so incredibly important.

This book helps you identify the behaviors that help -- and the behaviors that hurt -- when building consensus. Make no mistake about it: human beings are poorly designed to get along with each other. Our brains are wired for competition. At most we co-operate with genetically similar groups. Evolution has wired us to not want to work together with people too different from ourselves, lest we threaten our own survival.

That may have been useful 2000 years ago in highly competitive tribal cultures, but in the modern world such prejudice is usually counterproductive.

This book helps you identify which behaviors may be hindering you. When confronted, a human's instinct is fight or flight. In a conversation, the fight instinct comes out in argument, sarcasm, or belittling. Likewise, the flight instinct comes out as keeping quiet and doing nothing, or totally ignoring what the other person said... typical passive-aggressive behavior.

This book also presents exercises to help you keep a cool head, communicate clearly, and get things done... despite your evolutionary wiring.

If you read this book, and practice their exercises a lot, you will slowly gain a reputation as somebody who can really make things happen.

Highly recommended!

This book had good examples and figure I can learn something new no matter how many times I've heard the information. Since I've had a lot of PR training over the last 35 years, this was a refresher for other aspects of my life, like being an elected official. The words the author used for silence vs violence, story telling, etc. are just a different way of training from what I've had in the past. Wouldn't have been my first pick for a Book Club selection but somebody new to leadership development would find it valuable.

Crucial Conversations is an outstanding book. This book can change the way people handle conversations in their personal and professional lives. It gives the reader tools to be able to conduct a crucial conversation.
I am a nurse leader and have used this book both in dealing with my employees as well as my superiors, including physicians, and it works!!!
There is work the reader has to do on him or herself to get to the heart of the matter, but it is worth the work.
I have a friend who is a Chief Nursing Executive at a hospital in Illinois and has given this book to all of her managers. I went to a conference recently where the speaker not only spoke highly of the book but sold it at the conference.
Absolutely outstanding. A must read for everyone

If you never experience conflict with anyone, this book isn't for you. Otherwise, Crucial Conversations is a crucial book. I teach personal safety/self-defense skills. Most of my clients want to learn the physical stuff, which is also crucial. However, even more important aspects of safety training are when to defuse a tense situation, and how to de-escalate a conversation when emotional stakes are high. The authors of this book point out that about half of those incarcerated for violence are not stereotypical career criminals or gangsters but first offenders, average people, who got caught in the "silence or violence" dichotomy until they could no longer keep their emotional energy under control and lashed out.

The authors bring together some truly productive strands of thinking. Stephen Covey's influence is obvious (he wrote the forward), but I also see themes about storytelling to justify our actions reminiscent of Pema Chodron (a Buddhist nun in a Tibetan lineage). Parts I especially appreciate are the sections on knowing yourself and what you want out of particular relationships, keeping that focus, and cutting through the stories we tell ourselves (and often tell others) to justify our behavior.

The skills in this book would benefit everyone in recognizing and resolving issues with those they care about. Or who wish to develop leadership abilities. Or who wish to live in a safer world.

This book should be required reading for almost everyone! It describes how to initiate and carry through difficult conversations which effect everyone's lives. It teaches the reader how to examine his own motives and desires before attempting to share his ideas with someone else. It shows how to clarify issues and then present them openly and honestly without offending the other person in the conversation. Too often we resort to silence or violence when dealing with crucial conversations and the authors point out the futility of either position. This book is now being used in many businesses and is required reading for employees. Whether dealing with business or personal issues, this book is a superb resource.

Great examples of crucial conversations with very useful strategies on how to be successful with crucial conversations....a must for any leader in healthcare today!

Crucial Confessions is applicable to all aspects of your life: work, relationships and even your outlook on anything. I will be reading this book again + again to internalize even more the concepts and make them my own. This will be my secret weapon.

I AM HAPPY WITH THE BOOK... BUT UNHAPPY WITH THE SERVICE. I WAS TOLD BY A SUPERVISOR THAT MY ORDER TO MY ADDRESS WOULD BE CALLED "UNDELIVERABLE' AND WOULD NOT BE DELIVERED TO ME BUT THAT I COULD RE- ORDER AND THE GIFT I HAD INTENDED WOULD BE SENT TO THE RECIPIENT...
WELL ... THE BOOK WAS DELIVERED TO ME AND TO THE RECIPIENT SO I HAVE TO GO TO THE TROUBLE OF SENDING IT BACK. TO AMAZON.... I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A VERY HONEST REPLY TO ME THAT IT WOULD NOT ARRIVE AND WOULD BE STOPPED BY SAYING TO THE SHIPPING DEPT. THAT IT WAS UNDELIEVERABLE... THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.. SO I FEEL DUPED.....AMAZON HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY CHOICE FOR BOOKS BUT I AM NOW GOING TO ENTERTAIN SWITCHING TO BARNES AND NOBLE....ROLLEEN MCILWRATH

This resource has been a useful part of how I choose to supervise my team. I have recommened this book to my leadership team and continue to use it as a tool in training and initiating hard conversations.

An easy read, straight forward, and makes a lot of sense. Very practical for use on the job.

This book is excellent for those that need fresh, new ideas for dealing with those conversations, meetings, or negotiations that can make or break a deal, mediation or deposition. Highly recommended.

The information in this book is invaluable for anyone involved in any people
orientated business, education, politics, family disputes. It is a how to do tool for conflict resolution with easy to follow, tried and tested methods. We are recommending it as a must read in our school for all teachers and staff.

One of the best books for practitioners since it converts easily into a workable strategy in the workplace. It has become an invaluable tool in my dealings with people throughout the organization.

I was recommended this book by a psychologist who specializes in marital relationships. I quickly went to the closest Barnes & Noble (and paid way over what I should have for this book) and began reading. The overall concepts in this book are genuinely simplistic, but I guess that most of us are so blinded by our emotions when we have "crucial conversations" that we forget the basics. This book does an o.k. job of reminding us of those. However, I could not help but notice the rambling skipping back and forth non-linear style of writing in this book. It basically sounds like an over anxious management consultant high on Starbucks and uppers jumping and skipping through what seems to be a semi-logical string of somewhat relevant topics. And as far as Steven Covey.... WOW, if you can persuade thousands of management people to pay $150 for what is esentially a personal paper planner and calendar, you deserve all the dollars you have coming to you. I could be wrong,,, this is just my opinion....