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1: Imagine youโ€™ve just been offered a promotion.

A big promotion. One that will accelerate your career and give you greater responsibility.

“And it pays enough to help soften the blow of displacement,” Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors write in their book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.

“That last part is important,” the authors say, “because youโ€™ll have to move the … continue reading

1: You notice that your generally high-performing assistant regularly shows up late to meetings.

When you bring up your concern, he looks genuinely upset.

Now what?

A common mistake is downplaying your feedback by saying, โ€œYou know itโ€™s really not that big a deal.โ€

A smarter approach comes from Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors in their classic bookย Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are … continue reading

1: Things aren’t going well between Oba and Mari.

They’re about to have a crucial conversation, one where the stakes are high, opinions differ, and emotions run strong.

Oba: โ€œMari, I was wondering if we could talk about what happened on Friday nightโ€”you know, when you got home late from work and went straight to our room?โ€

Mari: “Oh, you mean Friday night when you were sitting on the couch … continue reading

1: Tom was at a crossroads.

He was 55 years old and had worked at the same engineering company for 17 years.

“Throughout my career Iโ€™ve faced recurring interpersonal conflicts that resulted from frequent ‘blowups,'” Tom shares in Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors.

Tom took pride in getting things done, even if his approach damaged … continue reading

1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about. ย 

Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.

At the end of each week, I share an idea from Tynan’s book Superhuman by Habiton how to install specific, positive habits into your life.

So far, we’ve covered:

… continue reading

1: “How can I respect someone who behaves in ways I deplore?” Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors ask in their classic book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.

“What do you do if youโ€™re upset because another person has let you down?” they ask.

What if this behavior has happened repeatedly?

“How can you respect a person who is so poorly motivated … continue reading

1: โ€œRespect is like air. As long as itโ€™s present, nobody thinks about it.

“But if you take it away, itโ€™s all that people can think about,” Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors write in their classic book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.

“The instant people perceive disrespect in a conversation,” the authors observe, “the interaction is no longer about the original … continue reading

1: Imagine having a boss who regularly fails to keep commitments.

“How could you tell the boss you donโ€™t trust him?” Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors ask in their classic book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.

“Surely thereโ€™s no way to say this without him becoming defensive, right?”

Maybe.  Maybe not.

The solution is to find what the authors call a … continue reading

1: It’s Friday night.

Mari works as a project manager for a global supply chain company.  Oba is a chef.

It’s been a tough year for the couple.

“A recession triggered a restructuring in Mariโ€™s company, and she was asked to take on additional responsibilities while downsizing her team,” Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors write in their classic book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes … continue reading

1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.  

Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.

At the end of each week, I’ve been sharing an idea from Tynan‘s book Superhuman by Habit about how to install specific, positive habits into your life.

So far, we’ve covered:

… continue reading