About ten years ago, during my Crucial Conversations certification process, Joseph Grenny, one of the authors of Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when stakes are high narrated a story that created the exigency to develop these essential skills. The skills have truly helped me to improve my relationships at home, work and in the community. Joseph received a shocking telephone call from a hospital in the southwest. A terrible incident had occurred a couple of weeks before. The patient was wheeled into the operating room where a flawless amputation was performed—a portion of his right foot was removed.

Unfortunately, very unfortunately, when this patient awakened and noticed the uneven lumps in the bed sheet, he was aghast. The attendants wondered at his expression, and asked him how he was feeling, and if the general anesthetic was wearing off appropriately--and he shrieked. As they looked at their chart they discovered he had been checked in for a tonsillectomy. Now the outcome of that experience is bad enough on its own. What added insult to injury was that, on investigation, it was found that on the morning of that terrible mistake, there were no fewer than seven people who could have averted that entire disaster-- had they done one simple thing. Think for a moment, what might that be? What lever would make an enormous difference in not just critical instances like that in a hospital, but quality issues that might occur everyday across your organization?

Seven individuals that morning noticed some discrepancy noticed something unusual and said nothing. From the pharmacist who was being asked to load heavy local anesthetics onto a cart, to the attendants who were asked to put instruments and tools, you can imagine which, onto the tray in preparing the operating room that seemed a little out of the ordinary or out of their expectation for what they were thinking they were going to be doing that morning. Right down the line, from one person after another, they noticed some discrepancy but said nothing.

Now, why? Why would well-trained, well-intentioned, smart and good individuals notice discrepancies in a health care setting but say nothing? The reason was that the conversation was crucial. What is a crucial conversation? Do you experience a culture of silence in your work team or organization? REGISTER to learn the essential skills necessary for engaging difficult conversations in Indianapolis on February 21.

Crucial Conversations are situations where the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. When these three dynamics are at play we tend to shift to our styles under stress which tend to be violence or silence. These postures guarantees that we will not get the result we want. The essential crucial conversations skills training will help you to improve your dialogue and engagement skills. You will learn to SPEAK UP! master skills for communicating when the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. You will learn the dialogue skills that will help you talk with anyone about anything to reach alignment and agreement on important matters. REGISTER HERE.

The skills you learn will turn to behaviors that improve decision making, commitment to action, productivity, and relationships. Consistent organizational demonstration of these behaviors and disciplines will lead to effective and accountable teams. Essentially, you develop and lead a high-performing culture based on trust and respect.