Fierce Conversations: Achieving success in work and in life, one conversation at a time

Product Information

What are my goals when I converse with people?”“How often do I find myself–just to be polite–saying things I don’t mean?”“When was the last time I said what I really thought and felt?”“When was the last time I confronted someone at work or at home about his or her behavior and ended the conversation having enriched the relationship?”“What is the conversation I’ve been unable to have with someone?”

At Fierce Inc., Beltran has taken the reins as CEO to lead the company in becoming one of the most innovative firms in the communication and leadership training space. Rolling out 3D training, metaverse initiatives, and multiple apps designed to take the company with its 20-year foundation built from the iconic book, Fierce Conversations (which sold nearly 1 million copies) by its founder Susan Scott, into the future of corporate training. During the course of the book, all of these principles are explained, examples are given, and the reader is given assignments to help in putting the seven principles into action NOW. Be prepared for how they might deflect the issue onto someone else. Respond by saying, we are here to discuss how your actions affect blah blahUse the Mineral Rights Guideline – When dealing with a problem or complex issue, use Mineral Rights as your tool for indentifying, clarifying and taking appropriate action. Fierce conversations is a great resource for anyone who finds themselves struggling to communicate in a way that brings you closer to the people you care about. Whether it's home or at work - I think this book can help you take a step in the right direction to develop those tools. In my experience, you'll also need practice, but having the guidelines in Fierce will give you a great foundation and a reference to revisit. Susan Scott's writing makes you feel like you're having a fierce conversation with her while she's outlining the principles of a fierce conversation. The examples don't feel contrived and the "assignments" are relevant and actually helpful. If we wish to accomplish great things in our organizations and in our lives, then we must come to terms with a basic human need: We must recognize that humans share a universal longing to be known and, being known, to be loved.”(Scott, 2004) Some of the chapters were long and contained information that could potentially be a chapter of its own.

If things become uncomfortable, Scott says, don’t steer away from the issue at hand. Don’t get distracted or go off topic. Notes from the book- overall the book has good ideas but was not about fierce conversations until about chapter 7. Better idea than was executed We tend to avoid difficult issues because they’re scary and uncomfortable. Yet, if you avoid the discomfort now, you will pay a bigger price later when the problems snowball into major crises and failures. Get the pebble out of your shoe now instead of limping around with it. While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career, a company, a relationship, or a life, any single conversation can.” If someone disagrees with your idea, don’t defend your idea, but say, “tell us more, help us understand your thinking”Your biggest challenges are rarely about other people; they’re almost always about you. That’s because we see others as we are. We don’t hear what others say; we only hear our stories and interpretation of what they say. Likewise, others hear what they think they hear, not necessarily what we intended. The conversation is not about the relationship. The conversation is the relationship. Each of us has talked our own particular universe into existence." Instead, try and reframe the conversation as an opportunity to explore the problem with the individual concerned and to discover ways to solve that problem together. By treating it as a learning exercise (for both parties) it will be a much calmer, more positive and constructive experience. Fierce Conversations dwells on the act of listening. We must learn to listen to what others are saying and reflect on what is said, rather than engage our minds in what we will say next or allow our mind to wander while someone else is speaking. Susan emphasizes that if a topic is brought up by someone else, even though it may appear to be pointless or off-topic to us, it must be important to them or have some deeper meaning related to the issue at hand. Without being a good listener, we cannot properly identify the issue and therefore progress with meaningless talking or blowing of hot air with little, to no, content.

As a man of faith, I believe that there are many things that Scott talks about around fear, honesty, integrity, and leadership that reverberate in my heart and have sunk deep. Even though I have 'finished' this book, I will continue to reflect, revisit, and remind myself of the truths inside. My first step: writing my 30-second stump speech for leadership in my next steps. Fierce Conversations has made its way into the conversation of Steven Covey, John C Maxwell and Ken Blanchard style self-improvement and business books. Don’t accept these excuses at face value. Continue to drill down. Be brave enough to say “I think those are excuses.” Lots of examples, outlines, and exercises to help you start thinking more strategically about how you convey (and convince) people of your points. Although, this is less about debate skills and more about getting through to people in effective ways--rather than politely skirting AROUND major issues. It's about improving and enriching relationships.

Become a Member

The simplest definition is one in which we "come out from behind ourselves, into the conversation, and make it real" in other words, one where we reveal our real thoughts and focus on what really matters.While many fear such real conversations, it is the unreal conversations that ought to concern us because they are incredibly costly, both in time wasted and the opportunities for change that are thrown away. When speaking to people one-on-one to resolve an issue, it’s important to have a well-planned and thought out opening statement which, as Susan suggested, should last 60 seconds. Susan stated that there are ten components of the confrontation model, and they are: Use the questions – and the answers you receive – to provoke learning. “How are you going to prevent this happening again?” “What support do you need?” “What can I do to help?”

Inquire into your partner’s views – this is the part where listening is most important. Asking questions is priority at this point, only make statements to clarify or for further understanding.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT FIERCE CONVERSATIONS

Hold your ideas about what needs to be done until the other person has had an opportunity to formulate his or her own solutions Fierce Conversations training workshops will not only help you develop the skills to confront and resolve your toughest challenges, but will also teach you how to enrich your relationships by focusing on the conversations which really matter. The ones which are central to the results you're looking for. According to Corey, creativity, adaptability, and resilience are the keys to success. Through the lens of this philosophy, she ardently seeks to share these principals in her personal and professional Fierce community. Her commitment and passion to see her team and her clients succeed is her unrelenting mission. “We must grow and evolve every day to excel through our past to our future. The past is over, the future starts now.”