凯瑞·派特森（Kerry Patterson）著有多部获奖培训作品，曾负责过多个长期行为变化调查研究项目。2004年，凯瑞获得杨百翰大学马里奥特管理学院迪尔奖，以表彰他在组织行为领域的杰出贡献。凯瑞在斯坦福大学从事组织行为方面的博士研究工作。

约瑟夫·格雷尼（Joseph Grenny）是一位知名主题演讲师，也是在企业变革研究领域从业20多年的资深顾问。此外，他还是非盈利组织Unitus的共同创始人，该组织致力于帮助世界贫困人口实现经济自立的目标。

罗恩·麦克米兰（Ron McMillan）是一位广受好评的演讲师兼企业咨询顾问。他是柯维领导力研究中心创立者之一，曾担任该中心的研发部副总裁。罗恩和众多企业领导合作过，其中既包括一线经理也包括财富500强企业高级总裁。

艾尔 史威茨勒（Al Switzler）是一位著名咨询顾问兼演讲师，为财富500强中数十家企业提供过服务，主要从事培训和管理指导工作。艾尔是密歇根大学行政开发中心讲师。

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Foreword by Stephen R. Covey, Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People A PAPERBACK ORIGINAL "Most books make promises. This one delivers. These skills have not only helped us to change the culture of our company, but have also generated new techniques for working together in ways that enabled us to win the largest contract in our industry's history." --Dain M. Hancock, President, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics A powerful, seven-step approach to handling difficult conversations with confidence and skill "Crucial" conversations are interpersonal exchanges at work or at home that we dread having but know we cannot avoid. How do you say what needs to be said while avoiding an argument with a boss, child, or relationship partner? Crucial Conversations offers readers a proven seven-point strategy for achieving their goals in all those emotionally, psychologically, or legally charged situations that can arise in their professional and personal lives. Based on the authors' highly popular DialogueSmart training seminars, the techniques are geared toward getting people to lower their defenses, creating mutual respect and understanding, increasing emotional safety, and encouraging freedom of expression. Among other things, readers also learn about the four main factors that characterize crucial conversations, and they get a powerful six-minute mastery technique that prepares them to work through any highimpact situation with confidence.