Cipher Taifa

High-Stakes Conversations

Text: Acts 6:1 – 7 New International Version

1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Effective leaders don’t focus on being right or protecting a position. They shift from “me” to “we,” build trust through the questions they ask, and use a simple structure to guide the conversation. Tony Gambill has developed a simple, four-step framework to drive clarity, alignment, and action, called the ACES model for high-stakes conversations.

Navigating high-stakes conversations well requires a leader to follow four key principles:
1. Align – define the real priority (v. 4).
2. Context – build understanding and awareness (v. 2).
3. Explore – examine options and co-create solutions (v. 5).
4. Shared action – agree on action and own the outcomes (v. 3).

https://youtu.be/sGoYUs1azHI

Bibliography
Gambill, Tony. “The ACES Model of High-Stakes Conversations.” LinkedIn.com. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tony-gambill-0227767_high-stakes-conversations-dont-fail-because-share-7455586762518683648-hjet?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAATfjLEBqeSbFaQKM1M5r5gN0HOeM-XYJOA (accessed May 22, 2026).