Crucial Influence
habits
5 Tips for Overcoming Procrastination
Chronic procrastination is ruining my career plans. How can I change?
Posts by Joseph Grenny
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
boundaries
I Set Boundaries, They Were Crossed, Now What?
My house is the place family chooses to gather for the holiday. This Thanksgiving I wanted to make sure everyone was safe so I told them we would not be having a family gathering. The family showed up anyway, each with a reason why it was okay for them to come. How do you lovingly shut the door to uninvited guests who are putting you at risk?
When Your Coworker Wears Too Much Perfume
Dear Joseph, How should I respectfully approach a co-worker about her pungent perfume? I can tell she’s been down the hall even after she’s been gone for five or ten minutes. The scent lingers and is foul to me; after encountering it I begin to feel nauseous. She’s a very popular and pleasant person. Except …
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
Crucial Conversations
The Short Story Behind Crucial Conversations
Dear Joseph, What had the biggest impact on you writing Crucial Conversations? Signed, Backstory Dear Backstory, Thanks for asking! Your question gave me a chance to walk down memory lane. The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” Looking back, I can see experiences that …
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
relationships
How to Tell Someone They Talk Too Much
Dear Joseph, I have a dear male friend. We are romantically involved in a long-distance relationship across different time zones. Our main means of communication are texting and phone, or video talking. We usually talk one to two hours a day—late at night for him, and after work for me. However, our conversations often turn …
How Do I Say That
Anger
How to Respond to Strong Opinions with Grace and Boundaries
Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations, shares tips for responding to strong opinions. Learn to gracefully and politely draw boundaries for the conversation.
One Easy Way to Social Distance at Work
Dear Joseph, I am in a bit of a conundrum at work. We were recently asked to return to offices despite the escalating pandemic. Much of what we’re coming in for could easily be done from home. This week a companywide email was sent out requesting that we keep our office doors open to improve …
How Do I Say That
corporate culture
How to Respond to Racism in the Workplace
Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations, shares tips for navigating racial bias in the workplace using facts, curiosity and humility.
How Do I Say That
Anger
How to Have a Productive Conversation with a Know-It-All
Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations, talks about how to appreciate the know-it-all in your life. If you can appreciate, rather than resent, a know-it-all, you’ll likely learn something new.
Want More Career Opportunities? Change How You Think
Dear Joseph, How can I ask the higher-ups in my organization to “step up” their game? Their lack of ambition limits my career development because there are no real opportunities for me to take on more responsibilities. My higher-ups are pretty laid back. In fact, I hesitate to use the word “lazy,” but that would …