How Respectful Communication Boosts Morale and Productivity in the Workplace
People have different opinions, different talents, and different abilities; respectful communication in the workplace involves the ability to effectively assert your own views and fully listen to the views of others.
The focus in the workplace should be on collaboration, using everyone’s strengths to achieve common goals. Teams are often created to more efficiently and effectively complete projects or handle specific work functions. To do this, teams must use effective and respectful communication to avoid miscommunication and deal with conflict.
Why Respectful Communication Is Necessary
For teams to be productive and successful, good communication skills are essential. Establishing communication strategies for presenting ideas, opinions, and constructive criticism are all part of the communication skill set.
Teamwork is easy when members get along, but when a conflict arises or miscommunication occurs, things can turn ugly. Embracing respectful communication in the workplace during tough interpersonal interactions demonstrates your ability to self-manage and contributes to more healthy and productive relationships.
There are different types of conversations that I would like to share. These perspectives can be insightful as you engage in future communication.
Dialogue vs. Discussion in the Workplace
In David Bohm's book On Dialogue, he contrasts the difference between engaging in a dialogue and engaging in a discussion. As he recounts, the word, dialogue comes from the Greek word dialogos. Logos represents the meaning of the word. Dia means through.
A dialogue represents a stream of meaning flowing among and through a group of people. From this sharing of information emerges some new and creative understanding; this shared meaning becomes the “glue” that holds the group together.
In Bohm's interpretation, discussions are different from dialogues. Discussion has the same root as percussion and concussion. It suggests breaking things up. It emphasizes the idea of analysis, where everyone presents a different point of view and the ideas are pulled apart and dissected for meaning.
Discussion is almost like a ping-pong game, where people are batting the ideas back and forth, and the object of the game is to have your idea be the winning concept.
In contrast, when a group is engaged in a dialogue form of communication, nobody is trying to win. Everybody wins if anybody wins. The comparison has value when a team is trying to maintain respectful communication in the workplace and is concerned with recognizing the value of all members.
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The E.G.O. Approach to Communication
Another respectful communication strategy for healthy teamwork is known as the E.G.O. Approach. If a team member is experiencing a challenging problem, provide Empathy. Next, discuss the problem and set a Goal for creating a solution. Finally, identify the reasonable Options available to solve the problem; choose which option to use and move forward.
In this strategy, you are showing compassion and the ability to assist in finding the solution. This will lead to more of an open, honest, respectful atmosphere within the team. People will notice your sensitivity and your rational approach to work.
Engaging in respectful communication in the workplace is a work in progress, but if team members cannot communicate effectively, employee productivity will suffer. If you find yourself in the midst of escalating conflict . . . STOP! By choosing to communicate respectfully, you can fully leverage inner control, clarity, and honesty. Team members are most creative when there is an atmosphere of respect and acceptance.
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