Hi, Trainers!

We spend a lot of time looking ahead to upcoming events and to-dos, so I want to pause for a moment and reflect upon all the hard work you’ve done and amazing things you’ve accomplished in 2023. It truly is a joy to work with each of you!

What were your training highlights this year? Share in the comments!

New Additions in 2023

One of the highlights this year was debuting a Trainer Spotlight feature to highlight the best practices and implementation ideas of fellow trainers. I love chatting with trainers and hearing about their experiences and unique takes on helping their audiences learn. If you haven’t read these yet, please do! Thank you to the trainers who participated:

• Caitlin Ryder and the Power of Authenticity
• April King and a Culture of Dialogue
• Alyssa Willet and Assessing Learner Confidence
• Laura Larsen and Creating Unity through Crucial Conversations
• Jeremy King and Testing a New Crucial Course
• Katrina Greene and Driving Influence
• Nicole O’Brien and Tailoring Delivery for Learner Needs
• Russell Virgin and Improving Generations through Crucial Skills

If you have a story to tell, please email me. I’d love to hear it!

Another new addition for 2023 was the annual trainer verification in Trainer Zone. This automated process helps us keep our records up to date so we can reach you with the information you need to stay current in facilitating our courses. Thank you to the 5,650-plus trainers who verified their data this year! You’ll start seeing this pop up again one year from your initial verification, beginning in January.

Trainer Numbers in 2023 (as of November 30)

• 1,272 certified trainers completed a trainer certification course.
• 309 trainers completed a Fast Track certification.
• 227 people joined our Crucial Learning Trainers Facebook group.
• 495 people joined our Crucial Learning Trainers LinkedIn group.

Lives Impacted 2023

This year we innovated our Lives Impacted recognition program with two changes. Every earner received a copy of the new edition of Crucial Influence with their reward orders. We also invited them to an exclusive Lives Impacted Live online event with Crucial Learning co-founder Joseph Grenny, where they could spend an hour asking Joseph questions and connecting with one another.

If you want to participate in Lives Impacted 2024, there’s still time! Access is earned by the previous year’s trainings—meaning that the trainings you log now will go toward your Lives Impacted status next year. Click here to log your trainings before December 31!

Lives Impacted by the Numbers

• 681 certified trainers qualified for Lives Impacted.
• 20 countries are represented by Lives Impacted earners, including Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
• 90 trainers earned Platinum Status (9+ trainings logged).
• 120 trainers earned Gold Status (6–8 trainings logged).
• 471 trainers earned Silver Status (3–5 trainings logged).
• 3,436 learners taught within sessions logged in Trainer Zone (so far) that will count toward 2024 Lives Impacted status.

Grant Program

Did you know that Crucial Learning has a grant program? We’ll donate learner guides to qualifying nonprofit organizations in tandem with certified and/or master trainers who donate their time and skills to facilitate.

This year 18 certified trainers facilitated pro bono grant training sessions, and we’ve sent materials to them as well as six trainers whose sessions are coming up in early 2024. If you’re interested in participating, click here to learn more and apply!

Grant Program by the Numbers

• 554 learner guides donated to nonprofit organizations through the grant program this year (includes a handful for upcoming 2024 trainings).
• $115,161 saved by nonprofits thanks to donated learner materials.
• $225,500 saved by nonprofits thanks to pro bono facilitation.
• $4,600 retail value of the 200 paperback copies of Crucial Accountability donated to The Other Side Academy
• $345,261 combined value of facilitation and materials donated to grant program recipients—which is almost $50 of value for every $1 Crucial Learning donates!

Many thanks to this year’s grant program trainers for providing Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue, Crucial Conversations for Accountability, or Getting Things done to their respective nonprofits:

• Greg Miller—Frederick-Grayslake Middle School PTO (Grayslake, IL)
• Melanie Gao—Anonymous (Nashville, TN)
• Jenny Jones—Veterans Community Project (Kansas City, MO)
• Dina Austin—Home of the Sparrow (McHenry, IL)
• Sherene Walters—Master-Pieced Inc. (Lexington, KY)
• Deron Poisson—Ascend Services, Inc. (Manitowoc, WI)
• Rozlan Luck— East Birmingham Church Ministries (Birmingham, AL)
• Renée Powers— LeaderFlow Development Program (Los Angeles, Seattle, and Houston)
• Michelle Wood—Valley Community Church (Pleasanton, CA)
• Tina Howell—Yorkminster Presbyterian Church (Yorktown, VA)
• David Reyes—Fielder Church (Arlington, TX)
• Christine Skynar—St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (Detroit, MI)
• Jackson Ford—Dauphin Way United Methodist Church (Mobile, AL)
• Maria Moss—Shelter from the Rain, Inc. (Savannah, GA)
• Henry Maynard—Science ATL (Decatur, GA)
• Greg Stephens—World Relief Chicagoland (Chicago, IL)
• Ken Sauby—Foster First (Yakima, WA)
• Jane Gregg—First United Methodist Church of Seattle (Seattle, WA)

Big thanks to everyone for making this year so outstanding! As our mission says:

We believe in a world where all human beings can be great at being human. We know that, with the right skills, everyone can learn to behave in ways that make their lives, their families, their organizations, and our world better. We are driven to find those crucial skills and share them with people in ways that make a difference.

That work would not be possible without the force for good you certified trainers are. Keep up the good work—here’s to a bright 2024 ahead!