Questions taken from the assigned text Crucial Conversations and the Class Lecture slides for Modules 12 and 13.

1. What is it about a crucial conversation that distinguishes it from an ordinary conversation or a simple disagreement? (1/2 to 1 page response, single space)

1. According to the authors, when facing crucial conversations, we can do one of three things:

1. We can avoid them
2. We can face them and handle them poorly
3. We can face them and handle them well

In a few sentences, describe the consequences of following each of the possible options offered here.

1. In order to have a successful crucial conversation, why is it important to subsume a "personal pool of meaning" to a "pool of shared meaning?" (1/2 to 1 page response, single space)

1. The authors point out that two common outcomes of a crucial conversation that has gone bad are "silence" and "violence." How do these outcomes manifest themselves and how do they lead to bad results? (1/2 to 1 page response, single space)

1. The authors point out that if you get caught up in the emotions of carrying out a crucial conversation that has gone bad, you can be a "dialogue killer" by pursuing one of three strategies:

1. Winning
2. Punishing
3. Keeping the peace

How do each of the strategies kill dialogue? (1/2 to 1 page response)