Campus & Community

Next Round of Crucial Conversations Training Offered to Supervisors and Staff Beginning Feb. 6

Thursday, January 9, 2020, By News Staff

Crucial conversations take place every day in our work. They occur when there are differences of opinion, high stakes and strong emotion. Examples include discussions that center on performance, work quality, time management, productivity, customer satisfaction, conflicted or strained relationships, unhealthy team dynamics and competing priorities—just to name a few!

Dialogue is a tested cure for communication problems. By learning how to speak and be heard (and supporting others in the same), individuals can begin to uncover the best ideas, make high-quality decisions and act on those decisions with unity. That’s where the Crucial Conversations program comes in.

Crucial Conversations teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement between parties by committing to open, honest and respectful dialogue. Supervisors and staff are invited to sign up to attend the upcoming eight-week session on Thursday afternoons beginning Feb. 6.

Please note: Advance registration and departmental approval* is required.

Thursdays, Feb. 6-March 26, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Milton Room, Whitman School of Management Building, 4th Floor

Visit the program page to learn more or the registration link to sign up. Space is limited to 24 participants, so don’t delay! Skills learned each week build upon prior lessons, so it’s critical that you can attend all eight weeks. Lessons will include how to:

  • Spot when conversations become crucial
  • Hold the right conversations
  • Avoid repeatedly having the same conversation
  • Understand your style under stress
  • Recognize and diffuse “violence and silence”
  • Clearly identify and express what you really mean
  • Separate facts from stories and emotions
  • Make it safe for others to speak up
  • Make clear decisions and commitments

Here’s what past participants are saying about their Crucial Conversations experience:

  • “These skills will be very helpful in my professional role and supervising staff. They’ll give me a sense of confidence and the ability to keep calm and redirect conversations that are difficult.”
  • “The Crucial Conversations curriculum is thought-provoking and teaches you real-life skills you can use on a day-to-day basis. I’ve already noticed my communication skills adapting based on what I’ve learned!”
  • “The class was very interactive, which helped the concepts stick. We watched videos and then discussed what we saw and how they could improve. Pam was a fantastic leader—she clearly has a great understanding of the material and helped make the class more interesting and fun.”

*There is a $350 cost per participant to cover program materials. This fee will be charged back to your budget center, so approval from your supervisor and budget manager is required.