All organizations have stakeholders. The mission of the organization is realized (or not) in some of these interactions between the organization's personnel and the stakeholders. We call these mission-critical situations Crucial Interactions™. In these interactions the stakes are high, and usually the emotional content is as well.

Some examples of how organizations have used Crucial Interaction™ training:

• For organ procurement organizations, the interaction with the family in the hospital room will often determine whether a donation is made (see case study). Numerous other vital interactions are also involved -- and the result, if every single interaction is successful, is lives saved.

• For news-reporting of traumatic events, the critical interactions are between the reporters and the victims or family members, and getting the story while being compassionate is at stake.

• For corporations, the most critical interactions are often between employees and customers, between top management and board members, and between company representatives and the press. Frequently these high-stakes situations are emotionally intense and require highly specialized behavior on the part of staff or employees.

In these vital points of contact, when do you get a second chance? Usually never. EffectiveArts, however, provides a Laboratory with No Consequences. We provide opportunities through interactive drama for staff to practice and critique their performance during these Near-life Situations. Then, when the actual interaction happens, your staff are fully prepared to perform at mastery level with optimal effectiveness.

EffectiveArts' Crucial Interactions™ process involves asking you the following questions:

• Who are your organization's external and internal stakeholders?
  
• Who interacts with each of these stakeholders?
  
• What is at stake in each of these interactions? (money, time, reputation)
  
• How have these interactions gone in the past? (How successfully has the mission or aspects of the mission been realized ?)
  
• What are each of the stakeholders committed to? What are the commitments (job description-based) of the staff who interact with them?

With the answers to these questions, we can develop a custom-made “indistinguishable-from-real-life” practice arena in which employees can develop mastery where it counts the most.

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