Amanda Albright

“The hidden cost of pride is isolation” ~Bob Goff. Crucial Conversations will cost me my pride, but they’ll reward me with depth in community. A worthy trade! #toughconvos @tvansoelen

Crucial Convos: “Our problem is not that our behavior degenerates. It’s that our motives do.” What’s in the heart comes out, one way or another. If I want to grow in dialogue, I’m gonna have to clean out my heart. Make space. More humility. More empathy. #toughconvos @tvansoelen

Good dialogue is when everyone can safely add to the shared pool of meaning. “The larger the shared pool, the better the decisions.” Discussion protocols have convinced me that structure and practice help to construct a shared pool. #toughconvos @tvansoelen

I’ve always hated compromise—I’m just too optimistic! Crucial Convos: the worst at dialogue opt for competition or submission. The good move toward compromise. The best know better...they create Mutual Purpose. Just maybe, there is a third choice...#toughconvos @tvansoelen

Student reflection on our Habits of Learning from #TeachingforTransformation: “We are Curious Thinkers: Critical and Creative.” #TFT #toughconvos @tvansoelen

“…have the confidence to say what needs to be said to the person who needs to hear it.” ~Crucial Conversations. Confidence, yes. And respect. And trust. And integrity. Relationships thrive on the good stuff. #toughconvos @tvansoelen

“To avoid violated expectations, separate dialogue from decision making.” Connects to fair process for change leadership: engage—>explain—>expect. Expectations separate from and after engagement/expectation. Decisions separate from and after dialogue. #toughconvos @tvansoelen

“Our emotions are incredibly plastic” —Crucial Convos. Praise God. I’ve begun making my peace with being the girl who feels a lot and my prayer is now, “since I’ve got so many, please make me good at emotions.” Emotions: great helpers, terrible managers. #toughconvos @tvansoelen

Reading Crucial Conversations, and thinking about the “Path to Action”: between observe something and feeling an emotion, we tell ourselves a story. Reminds me of the quote below, one I wrestled with long ago. A tough truth, but a hopeful one. #toughconvos @tvansoelen