We've worked with dozens of organizations and hundreds of people to inculcate & implement Crucial Conversations skills. How are we doing? Read what our clients have to say.
Crucial Conversations in Education
"I have recently had the great pleasure of participating in Crucial Conversations training under the superb tutelage of Kurt Southam. I have often bemoaned the fact that I knew of no well-worked out, disseminable training program that could be used to assist health care professionals to better engage and communicate with their patients and families to help them embrace the necessary treatment interventions for their children. I was amazed and delighted to see the combination of research sophistication and common sense that have come together in this remarkable program. I am looking forward to using this tool and training program to in multiple settings to improve our health care delivery systems.”
Peter S. Jensen, MD, CEO
The REACH Institute (REsource for Advancing Children's Health
Former Ruan Chair of Columbia University
“As a psychologist and administrator, I found the Crucial Conversations training to be especially refreshing. It communicated well-known psychological principles of behavior change (especially cognitive-behavioral theory) using everyday language, with a no-nonsense approach, and with plenty of opportunities for practice. I especially liked the idea of having ongoing follow-up to help prevent the typical decay in learning that is associated with most leadership training workshops. Real life change can occur as a result of learning and using the principles of Crucial Conversations.”
Ben Ogles, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio University
“I really enjoyed the workshop I attended on Crucial Conversations at the IIMA (International Information Management Association) Conference. I thought Dr. Southam did a wonderful job leading the conference (University of Science and Technology, Beijing). I have been trying to apply the techniques he presented in my conversations with my colleagues and family members. If you have a chance to attend this workshop, do it! You will be very glad you did. I wish all the administrators at my university could have been there.”
Tanya Goette
Professor Information Systems & Faculty Coordinator of Graduate Programs
The J. Whitney Bunting School of Business
Georgia College & State University
“Your presentation at the IIMA (International Information Management Association, at University of Science and Technology of Beijing) on topic of "Silence Fails" was excellent. I congratulate you for the superb presentation. The warm feelings that you exude and project are probably one of the many qualities that you bring to your global stature that you have earned through sheer hard work, grit, determination, and hours of dedication and study.”
Parwaiz Karamat
Principal Lecturer
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, School of Information Science
“I am naturally skittish about communication/relationship seminars and programs which promote themselves as having it “all wrapped up”. I certainly wasn’t raised to engage people in such “talk by numbers” terms, as my family had a long-standing pattern of communication based more on elaborate story, rumor and innuendo rather than facts. Crucial Conversations was a new experience for me. Kurt’s easy way made it even more accessible, as he has the type of personality which made it easy for me to understand and implement the principles and concepts of the program. I have already seen the favorable results of putting into practice the lessons explained in the program, and am reaping the benefits of altering the way I approach difficult conversations. I recommend this program to anyone who simply wants to become a more effective participant in life. Kurt made an enjoyable 2 days even more so.”
John Uibel
Associate Director, Center for Instructional Design
Brigham Young University
“Kurt is a top-notch trainer. Out senior staff completed both the Crucial Conversations Mastery Workshop and the Trainer Certification Workshop with Kurt. He adapted the training to fit our needs and provided us with deftly targeted, extremely helpful guidance and feedback. We’re confident that with Kurt’s training behind us, we will make significant, lasting improvements in our organization. The training was worth every penny we paid for it.”
Jon Mott, Ph.D.
Assistant to the Academic VP
Former Managing Director, Center of Instructional Design
Adjunct Professor, Public Policy & Instructional Psychology & Technology
Brigham Young University
“As a person who has crucial conversations many times each day I was intrigued with the concept that I could actually identify the opportunities and prepare myself to be more successful. I was riveted to the book when I saw myself in many of the situations… Recently in a heated meeting with fellow accelerated baseball coaches I saw an opportunity to utilize what I had learned from the book. It was amazing to me that a high-stakes, high-emotion situation like that could have a relatively simple solution based on these incredible principles. This is a book for everyone. We ALL have crucial conversations!”
J. Lynn Jones
National Milken Educator and National Distinguished Principal
General Comments from Educators
> Letter of Endorsement from Higher Education
from Dr. Zhang Qun, University of Science & Technology of Beijing
“Wow!!! What a presentation by Dr. Southam, he is a master at his craft. The presentation had it all rolled into one: captivating, interesting, useful, insightful and entertaining. I would highly recommend him to any business, government or educational organization for any level from local, national or international audiences. He is at the top of his profession.”
C. E. Tapie Rohm Jr., Ph.D.
C.E.O and Executive Director, International Information Management Association (IIMA), Inc.
Professor, Information and Decision Sciences
College of Business and Public Administration
California State University San Bernardino
“Kurt Southam’s workshop was “dead on.” His presentations were personable, engaging and entertaining. His use of discussion, media and real-world cases helped me to see immediate application in my professional and personal life. Using ideas and skills learned in Kurt’s workshop, I have helped resolve some difficult problems in our organization that we previously have all basically “danced around.”
Walter Stewart, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Information & Decision Sciences
California State University San Bernardino