People who are skilled at dialogue do their best to make it safe. It’s the secret sauce for any high-stakes conversation, turning potential conflict into collaboration.
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Meaning
It’s about intentionally creating an environment of psychological safety where everyone feels they can speak their truth without fear.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this in a thousand meetings. The core idea is the “shared pool of meaning.” Think of it like a whiteboard everyone is drawing on. When people feel safe—when they trust they won’t be punished or humiliated for their contribution—they add their unique piece of the puzzle to that board. And that’s where the magic happens. The final picture, the decision, is so much richer and more accurate because it contains *everyone’s* data, not just the loudest person’s. It’s not about being nice; it’s about being smart. You’re actively hunting for disconfirming data to make a better call.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Relationship (329) |
| Topics | dialogue (12), safety (24), understanding (119) |
| Literary Style | clear (348), educational (37) |
| Emotion / Mood | calm (491), inclusive (13) |
| Overall Quote Score | 80 (256) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from the classic business book “Crucial Conversations,” first published in the US back in 2002. The authors—Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler—are the real deal, and this is their foundational concept. You sometimes see the idea of psychological safety attributed to Amy Edmondson (and rightly so), but this specific phrasing and the “pool of meaning” metaphor is uniquely theirs.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Kerry Patterson (35) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High (35) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Kerry Patterson coauthors influential books that help people tackle tough conversations, drive change, and build accountability at work and beyond. He cofounded VitalSmarts (now Crucial Learning) and spent decades developing training that organizations implement globally. He earned a master’s degree from Brigham Young University and completed doctoral work in organizational behavior at Stanford, and he has taught and consulted widely. The Kerry Patterson book list includes Crucial Conversations, Crucial Accountability, Influencer, and Change Anything—bestselling titles that continue to shape modern leadership and communication practices.
| Official Website
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | People who are skilled at dialogue do their best to make it safe for everyone to add their meaning to the shared pool |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2002; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9780071771320; Last Edition: 3rd Edition (2021); Number of Pages: 272. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: Make It Safe, Approximate page from 2021 edition |