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Crucial Confrontations
Book

Crucial Confrontations

Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior

Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
McGraw-Hill, 2004

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

Although confrontation is difficult for many people, it is often necessary. Failure to confront someone over bad behavior may be misinterpreted as approval. Confrontations can help bring people back to a better, more productive course. However, confrontations also can go off track and become shouting matches (or worse). Authors Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler outline a method for approaching confrontations when the stakes are particularly high; those are the crucial confrontations. Boiled down to its essentials, the methodology consists of focusing on facts, remaining calm, listening to the other person with respect and working to motivate the other person and to enable a change in behavior. The book is light, anecdotal and easy to read. Yet, getAbstract finds that it offers so much sound advice that any manager, parent or spouse could find something useful.

Take-Aways

  • Crucial confrontations are about accountability when the stakes are high.
  • Confrontations are difficult when people differ in rank - especially when a subordinate must confront a superior.
  • Failure to confront leads to misunderstandings, breaks down relationships and damages families, teams and organizations.

About the Authors

Kerry Patterson writes training programs and is an executive coach. Joseph Grenny, a keynote speaker and consultant, co-founded the California Computer Corporation and the nonprofit organization, Unitus. Ron McMillan co-founded the Covey Leadership Center. Al Switzler is on the faculty of the Executive Development center at the University of Michigan.

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