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Keeping Your Cool When Keeping Your Cool When Conversations Get HotConversations Get Hot

Cheryl Hall & Barb SchinderleCheryl Hall & Barb SchinderleEarly Childhood Education & Family Services Early Childhood Education & Family Services

Michigan Department of EducationMichigan Department of Education

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Learn to Spot a Crucial Conversation:

1. Opinions vary;2. Stakes are high; and3. Emotions run strong

*Look for physical signs, such as stomach ache, dry throat, sweaty palms*Has anyone gone to Silence or Violence?

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If you need to initiate a Crucial Conversation:

Start with the Heart 1. Work on yourself first by noticing when you’re in a

Crucial Conversation and realizing what you are doing to contribute to the problem.

2. Focus on what you really want for yourself, for the other person, and for the relationship.

3. Refuse the Sucker’s Choice - when it seems there are only two ugly options, look for a third option.

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If there is a misunderstanding regarding your purpose, or the conversation is going in circles:

Make it SafeDecide which condition of safety is at risk

(Mutual Purpose or Mutual Respect). 1. Apologize when appropriate. 2. Contrast by starting with what you don’t

intend or mean, then explain what you do intend or mean.

3. CRIB to get to mutual purpose: Commit to seek Mutual Purpose Recognize the purpose behind the

strategy Invent a Mutual Purpose Brainstorm new strategies

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If you are getting emotional or If you are getting emotional or telling clever stories:telling clever stories:

Master your clever stories – separate facts from stories.

Watch for three “clever’ stories—the victim, the villain, and the helpless.

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When you have a tough message When you have a tough message to share and/or you don’t want to to share and/or you don’t want to come across as too pushycome across as too pushy: :

STATE your path: Share your facts Tell your story Ask for others’ paths Talk tentatively Encourage testing

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Turn Crucial Conversations into Turn Crucial Conversations into action and results:action and results:

Decide how to decide:

Command: Decisions are made without involving others.

Consult: Input is gathered from the group, then a subset decides.

Vote: An agreed upon percentage makes the decision.

Consensus: All agree and support thefinal decision.

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For additional information, please For additional information, please contact us:contact us:

Cheryl HallCheryl Hall

hallc7@michigan.govhallc7@michigan.gov

Barb SchinderleBarb Schinderle

schinderleb@michigan.govschinderleb@michigan.gov