Foreword
This is a breakthrough book. That is exactly how I saw it when
I first read the manuscript. I so resonated with the importance,
power, and timeliness of its message that I even suggested to the
authors that they title it "Breakthrough Conversations." But as I
read deeper, listened to the tapes, and experienced the insight
borne of years of experience with this material, I came to under
stand why it is titled Crucial Conversations.
From my own work with organizations, including families,
and from my own experience, I have come to see that there are
a few defining moments in our lives and careers that make all
the difference. Many of these defining moments come from
"crucial" or "breakthrough" conversations with important peo
ple in emotionally charged situations where the decisions made
take us down one of several roads, each of which leads to an
entirely different destination.
I can see the wisdom in the assertion of the great historian
Arnold Toynbee, who said that you can pretty well summarize all
of history-not only of society, but of institutions and of people
in four words: Nothing fa ils like success. In other words, when
a challenge in life is met by a response that is equal to it, you
have success. But when the challenge moves to a higher level,
the old, once successful response no longer works-it fails;
thus, nothing fails like success.