Communication is the key to navigating almost any aspect of life. So many of the issues and challenges surrounding our interactions come down to misunderstandings, lack of consideration, or often the complete absence of communication. This is especially true in the workplace.
As places of employment evolve positively toward more diverse teams, so too does the need for agile and considerate communication become vital. You can’t just rely on common shorthand and methods of operation from the past. Not to mention that men often find themselves battling negative masculine stereotypes and behavior on the road to effective communication. This may be the toxic cultural tendency for stoic silence in the face of adversity. It can even be hampered by the harmful — and erroneous — myth that men are not skilled emotional communicators.
Even if you consider yourself a great talker or listener, it’s worth examining how you can make improvements in facilitating communication at work. Let’s take a look at a few areas of focus alongside some tips.
Building Relationships
One of the most important areas communication plays a role is in forging workplace relationships. These are connections that not only help you get ahead in your career. They also make it possible for you to function professionally while maintaining your mental wellness. You’ll also find diverse workplace relationships aid in mutual personal growth for everyone involved.
Yet, many men find communicating in ways geared toward building and maintaining these genuine and meaningful relationships to be challenging. Part of this is certainly due to a historical heteronormative culture dictating how men in the workplace must make connections with a certain amount of distance or coldness. The route to growth is the opposite of this. You must seek to communicate openly. This may often include demonstrating a certain amount of vulnerability.
Share something of yourself with your colleagues, bosses, or employees. Not just your professional ideas but also your uncertainty, your passions, and your concerns. Actively listen to those around you. Demonstrate that you care about and respect their perspectives. This gives those you work alongside an honest idea of who you are. It also encourages others to act toward you and their colleagues similarly. You’ll find it helps to facilitate a culture of open communication in your workplace as a whole, too.
Leading Projects
Healthy leadership is not about dictation. Unfortunately, there is an unhealthy view regarding men in leadership roles only being able to succeed through aggressive tactics. This is of course a damaging and misinformed perspective. While there will certainly be times in which you must have the final say on some aspects, this shouldn’t be a prevalent feature in all activities. Rather, effective project management depends on your approach to clear and considerate communication.
In many ways, your communication facilitation should be geared toward helping everybody feel empowered to contribute and thrive. Your project is more likely to succeed in its goals when you use clear communication methods to keep all activities organized. This includes regular check-ins with members throughout the project. You should also make sure there is consistency in your messaging about their role in the project and your encouragement of their ideas.
Often the best way to do this is to begin designing communication protocols in the first stages of the project. Formalize what methods and schedules for contact you will use and expect other members to utilize in return. Commit to making a communicative “safe space” where there is no such thing as bad ideas. This not only facilitates the practical application of communication but also results in others being more willing to engage.
Within Meetings
Meetings are one of the primary avenues for discussion in businesses. They’re a well-trodden and formal setting designed to provide a space for colleagues to talk, collaborate, and listen to one another. However, it is often the case that this balanced exchange doesn’t occur. Aspects of the social and professional hierarchy, personalities, and politics can all interfere with communication needs. Your facilitation approach has to break through these barriers.
When you’re leading the meeting this all comes down to how you help it function. You should seek to facilitate a meeting rather than run it; in essence, setting the stage for collaboration and communication to thrive. This can involve actually reaching out to individual participants ahead of time to encourage them to contribute during the meeting and prepare to do so ahead of time. It may also include letting attendees know the clear structure for the meeting so they are confident about when and how to communicate practically and comfortably.
If you’re a participant rather than a leader, things can be a little tricky in this regard. You’ll need to facilitate your own communication opportunities while also showing respect and consideration for others. Avoid interruptions or enthusiastically preempting areas of discussion. Rather, try to take a responsive approach. Look for opportunities to acknowledge the ideas or challenges presented in the meeting. Offer your ideas with the other participants’ contributions in mind. Empower your participation while respecting the roles and perspectives of others in the room.
During Conflict
Conflict is almost unavoidable in any organization where people work closely. While there are 5 common conflict management styles business leaders tend to utilize. But these are all dependent on how effectively everyone involved in the friction communicates with one another. Whether you’re a team leader or an employee, facilitating healthy communication is ultimately your best tool to navigate conflict.
Firstly, you have to discard the toxic masculinity staple of refusing to back down on an issue because it’s an ostensible sign of strength. This is rarely the case and is more often a hurdle to exploring new ideas in ways that spur personal growth and professional innovation. It’s not easy, but for all parties, this healthy communication begins with stepping back from your position for some objective distance. Agree to listen to what one another has to say on the subject of the conflict without taking matters personally.
Perhaps the most important component of this communicative process is empathy. This is the key to both grasping and appreciating other perspectives and assessing them alongside your own. It’s not negative to speak passionately about your own thoughts in whatever conflict you face. But being inquisitive about other options, seeking to understand, and speaking respectfully helps to facilitate not just better communication but a way forward.
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Such a great article! Thank you for sharing. I often read blogs and articles like this to prep up my communication skills in the professional space. Another amazing site I have been referring to is PracUp.
They have some easy to follow and pretty effective courses which help in learning a lot about English.
Do check them out!