Dear Crucial Skills, I work in the HR department for a consulting company. I have worked there for almost eight months and I’ve noticed an ongoing issue with communication—or the lack thereof. On a weekly basis, I discover problems that could have been easily prevented with proper communication. How do I ask my managers to …
Dear Crucial Skills, When reading the concerns of “Tired of the Attitude” and your recommendations to her, I couldn’t help but think of the many times I have tried to follow the recommendations given in the Crucial Conversations literature—begin with the facts, make it safe, etc.—and I find myself in the middle of a defensive …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Al Switzler is coauthor of four New York Times bestsellers, Change Anything, Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, and Influencer. READ MORE Dear Crucial Skills, Work at the office has been piling up! Like a lot of companies in this economy, we have had to lay people off and as a result, my coworkers …
Dear Crucial Skills, I have read Crucial Conversations and greatly enjoyed it. However, I’m having difficulty knowing what to do with my mother-in-law when she makes snide remarks in group settings about me. We’ve had discussions before where she has blown up emotionally, and I don’t want to cause a scene. Do you have any …
Dear Crucial Skills, What do you do when your supervisor moves a conversation into areas that you feel are none of your supervisor’s business? One day, my supervisor was looking at real estate online when I went into her office for a meeting. She joked about finding a house for me but then actually started …
Dear Crucial Skills, I understand the importance of “creating safety” for the other party in a crucial conversation, but I find myself stuck most of the time because I’m the one who feels unsafe. If I’m the one who needs to initiate a crucial conversation, is there a way to create safety for myself as …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Al Switzler is coauthor of four New York Times bestsellers, Change Anything, Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, and Influencer. READ MORE Dear Crucial Skills, I have a coworker who is extremely overwhelmed by her workload. However, she is offered help periodically and always seems to find a reason why that help won’t work. …
Dear Crucial Skills, I have been practicing my crucial conversations skills and found I actually used one the other night with my sister. She expressed her resentment to me about failing to consult her on a crucial family decision regarding our father’s health. Being a graduate of Crucial Conversations, I immediately recognized that I had …
Dear Crucial Skills, I am the eldest of six siblings. We grew up in a judgemental atmosphere and avoided confrontation, so “triangulation” occurs frequently. NO one, parents included, is willing to address the issues, but they are always willing to share it with the person whom they think will help fix it–that would be me. …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Al Switzler is coauthor of four New York Times bestsellers, Change Anything, Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, and Influencer. READ MORE Dear Crucial Skills, I’d like to know more about how to improve mutual respect. Currently, my immediate boss does not respect the group he supervises. He manages in a paternalistic manner. The …
