Crucial conversations

This workshop helped project professionals create an open and honest culture within their projects removing the ‘culture of silence’ that so often causes project failure.

As the magnitude and complexity of projects increase in an ever changing world, we see projects becoming dependent on the project team's ability to influence and work together and with other stakeholders. Experience as well as research over the last 25 years has shown that projects can succeed or fail on a team's ability to have open, honest and respectful conversations with others about sensitive, emotional and controversial issues - such as project deadlines, project risks and the performance of other project team members.

The presentation introduced skills enabling delegates to start to 'de-risk' those crucial conversations. They enable you to talk openly and honestly to anyone about almost anything - how to stay in dialogue, resolve the problem, and at the same time build the relationship. 

The session involved some interactive small group work and the use of short video clips to bring out some of the key messages. Participants:

• gained an understanding of the key underlying concepts around crucial conversations;
• understood why we often avoid speaking up about project issues;
• saw some project examples;
• took away key skills.

Richard is the Business Development Director at Grahame Robb Associates Ltd (GRA), a leading provider of staff and organisational development programmes for public and private sector clients across the globe and the sole UK Licensee for crucial conversations, crucial confrontations and influencer training. 

He has over eighteen years’ experience in project management, training consultancy and organisational development gained from a career in central government, management consultancies and learning and development organisations.