Crucial Conversations
Have you ever put off talking to someone about a difficult but crucial subject? I know I have. When stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions start to run strong we face crucial conversations in our lives. We typically handle crucial conversations in one of three ways according to authors Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler in their best-selling book – Crucial Conversations :
1. We can avoid having them
2. We can face them and handle them poorly
3. We can face them and handle them well
These crucial conversations face us at work, in our personal lives and within our institutions and organizations that we belong to. So, how do we handle them well?
As part of the Van Lunen program, I feel blessed to have been able to read the book Crucial Conversations and discuss this book with principals from across North America and Japan. I was challenged in my thinking on this topic and reflected on my work as a leader at Centennial Christian School. How can crucial conversations be part of the culture and climate of our school? Has our community of parents, staff and students built up relationships where crucial conversations filled with truth and grace take place?
According to the authors of Crucial Conversations, there are times when we must be totally frank and completely respectful when initiating a crucial conversation by stating the facts, telling our story, asking for the other person’s story, and working towards mutual purpose, understanding and direction in the future. Sounds simple, right? It is very challenging, but necessary in all our relationships at work and at home.
Here are some crucial conversation starters that have helped me:
Help me understand ….
It appears to me that …….
I was wondering if ……
Centennial Christian School is a beautiful community united in the vision of training disciples for Christ to transform the world. Crucial conversations make us stronger and more purposeful as we live out our mission and vision. May we speak with each other in truth and grace now and always.