Collaboration
Crucial Conversations
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A crucial conversation, also known as a hard conversation or a difficult conversation, is any high-stakes dialogue that addresses sensitive or important topics and might have a significant impact on individuals, teams, or the organization. These discussions often involve differing viewpoints, strong emotions, and potential conflict. Examples include addressing a direct report's underperformance, asking for a promotion, Giving Feedback to a peer, or discussing organizational changes. Engaging in a crucial conversation requires open and honest communication, Active Listening, and mutual respect. Successfully navigating these conversations can lead to improved understanding, collaboration, and problem-solving, fostering a healthy work environment and facilitating positive outcomes.
Crucial Conversations is part of our Product Management Career Leveling Framework. Explore next steps in your career from this industry-standard model.
Curated Learning Resources
Crucial Conversations at GitLabWhether or not you read the book on crucial conversations, this example from GitLab can help. It covers: • What are crucial conversations? • How Crucial Conversations align with GitLab Values • Strategies for Successful Crucial Conversations • What GitLab Managers Say about Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are HighCrucial Conversations provides powerful skills to ensure every conversation―especially difficult ones―leads to the results you want. You’ll learn how to: • Respond when someone initiates a Crucial Conversation with you • Identify and address the lag time between identifying a problem and discussing it • Communicate more effectively across digital mediums