People Kerry Patterson
KP
Kerry Patterson
Author, organizational behavior researcher
Co-author of Crucial Conversations and founder of VitalSmarts (now Crucial Learning)
Why I Follow
The "Crucial" series provides research-backed frameworks for the hardest conversations. Essential for anyone who leads or collaborates.
Key Ideas
- Crucial = high stakes + opposing opinions + strong emotions
- Start with heart - Clarify what you really want
- Make it safe - Mutual purpose and mutual respect
- STATE your path - Share facts, Tell story, Ask, Talk tentatively, Encourage testing
When I Reference
- Difficult feedback conversations
- Conflict resolution
- Team dysfunction
- Stakeholder alignment