We all have been in situations where we know there are things that are not been said, yet we are not sure how to address them. You have the feeling that there is an elephant in the room, and you are probably right. As a follow up on the CDF panel discussion of June 13, 2007 in this show we will explore and go more in depth on how you start such a crucial conversation. Listen to this show to learn how to best initiate and then nurture a crucial conversation so you can unleash the greatest potential from your boardroom.
LISTEN: SEGMENT ONE
It is important that a board encourage complete transparency in their discussions. The means the willingness and the encouragement to open crucial issues and have full and open discussion around the issue.
Every board has a fiduciary responsibility to insure the long term sustainability of the organization. Crucial conversations usually deal with the strategy and the effective execution of that strategy. They can also deal with shorter-term issues that require board attention such as a product recall or a lawsuit.
Dick discusses how these conversations have to be open and honest in order for the board and executive staff to work effectively.
LISTEN: SEGMENT TWO
Crucial conversations can be managed. People can learn to have crucial conversations effectively if they learn certain distinctions concerning the conversational dynamics surrounding any conversation. This model provides an excellent working theory and model for knowing where you are and how to improve your conversational dynamics.
Any conversation between two or more people occurs within a certain dynamic that generates the mood of the conversation and what is possible as a result of the conversation. There are four stages to value creation resulting from our conversations. These stages are discussed in this segment.
LISTEN: SEGMENT THREE
It fair to say that people can recognize there is something off in the conversation. This is what people call the “elephant” in the room. Dick discusses different ways to recognize the need to initiate a crucial conversation. We also further explore how you can cut into these issues ad how to sanction people to declare their concerns and request that the conversation be fully opened with full expression of everyone’s point of view.
We also discuss the skills and practice that you can do to successfully handle these conversations.
LISTEN: SEGMENT FOUR
In this segment, we explore some critical distinctions that help a board improve their conversational dynamics. One of the biggest distinctions is separate the facts from the interpretations. These distinctions and the importance of being aware of them are discussed in this final segment.
