Crucial Conversations

Questions taken from the assigned text Crucial Conversations and the Class Lecture slides for Modules 12 and 13. 1. What is it about a crucial conversation that distinguishes it from an ordinary conversation or a simple disagreement? (1/2 to 1 page response, single space) 2. According to the authors, when facing crucial conversations, we can do one of three things: a. We can avoid them b. We can face them and handle them poorly c. We can face them and handle them well In a few sentences, describe the consequences of following each of the possible options offered here. 3. In order to have a successful crucial conversation, why is it important to subsume a personal pool of meaning to a pool of shared meaning? (1/2 to 1 page response, single space) 4. The authors point out that two common outcomes of a crucial conversation that has gone bad are silence and violence. How do these outcomes manifest themselves and how do they lead to bad results? (1/2 to 1 page response, single space) 5. The authors point out that if you get caught up in the emotions of carrying out a crucial conversation that has gone bad, you can be a dialogue killer by pursuing one of three strategies: a. Winning b. Punishing c. Keeping the peace How do each of the strategies kill dialogue? (1/2 to 1 page response)