The nature of our work makes some challenges more crucial than others. Consider the following: A sponsor who doesn't get you the resources you need; a black-belt who alienates essential team members; a functional manager who says she supports you, but who doesn't "walk the talk." Often these challenges are well-known, but have become "unspeakables"--problems that can't be confronted.

ISSSP and VitalSmarts are partnering on a research project that will map the kinds of conversations that are especially crucial to Six Sigma deployments. Our goal is to identify the categories of conversations that are especially difficult and especially essential for Six Sigma professionals to master. This research will demonstrate how just a few crucial conversations can have a disproportionately large impact on the success of your Six Sigma deployment.

David Maxfield has consulted with more than 200 organizations on topics including leadership, political savvy, conflict resolution, and management without authority. He has also taught at Stanford University and the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. David is the director of Research for VitalSmarts, where he is leading a series of consulting and research projects on the role crucial conversations play in Project Management and Six Sigma Implementations.