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?
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 …
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 …
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 …
Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations, shares tips for responding to strong opinions. Learn to gracefully and politely draw boundaries for the conversation.
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 …
Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations, shares tips for navigating racial bias in the workplace using facts, curiosity and humility.
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.
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 …
Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations, shares a tip to avoid a political debate. Tell and share stories to learn about others’ political views and experiences.
