“Sorry?” That is the reflex response from anyone in my family when one of us makes even a vague comment about ears or hearing. The goal is to try and get the person to repeat what they said. Silly, I know, but we’ve been doing it for so long it is ingrained in our DNA!
Communication can be a very big issue in relationships, especially in workplaces where we usually don’t have the benefit of an intimate family history together. A recent article I came across deals with one aspect of communication, specifically when the conversation takes a turn for the worst. Alexandra Hayes takes a look at this and has brought together some tips on how to minimize the damage. The full article can be read here, and following is a very brief summary for you.
- Breathe – take a deep breath, and slow things down.
- Don’t be accusatory – no labelling other people as that can be offensive to them. And check your non-verbal’s (like eye rolling).
- Don’t be preachy – trying to always be right and winning down not help.
- Avoid Combative dialogue – avoid trying to one-up the other person
- Avoid 100% certainty – certainty is dangerous so avoid absolute terms like “always” and “never”, which put the other person onto the defensive.
At the end of the day the goal is to be able to communicate respectfully, allowing each person to truly hear what the other person has to say.
Avondale Business School is well placed to help your team develop its communication skills. To find out how, contact Warrick Long at [email protected]
or 02 4980 2168.