Ten Secrets to Good Communication
Have you ever had to talk with someone about a topic that you just knew would cause either you or the other person to be very uncomfortable? Unfortunately at work, home, or in other personal settings, personalities may clash, or issues that need to be discussed are so “hot” that it’s almost like a volcano errupting. Discussing safety issues at work can be one of these topics that causes angst in communication between otherwise very calm and relaxed people. But, safety problems have to be addresses, so we need to learn how to talk about them.
Stephanie Silverman is a public speaking consultant who provides communication consulting services. She has developed a list of ten secrets to good communicating. While her focus is primarily on public speaking, her secrets are extremely valuable for anyone preparing to have a serious conversation with someone about safety in the workplace. Here are her ten secrets (see her website – for more information).
1. People want you to be interesting
2. Fear is like excitement and it can be harnessed.
3. Relaxation is a skill.
4. Criticism doesn’t have to hurt.
5. Communication is a gift.
6. Rehearsal required.
7. What’s the angle?
8. Find the hook.
9. Be human.
10. Repeat after me: “I don’t know.”
Whether you are a manager who needs to talk with a worker about a potential or real safety violation or a worker planning to confront a peer about safety concerns, the ten secrets are a good place to start. Anytime you are going to confront someone if you don’t feel nervous about what type of reaction you might get, you are unusual. So, harness your fear by thinking about all the angles and planning your words carefully. Rehearse what you might say over and over until you feel relaxed enough that you know you are prepared. Remember you can be critical in a positive way as opposed to making the other person feel attacked. During the conversation, make a point to be human – the other person may have a good reason for why he/she did what they did, perhaps they are dealing with a physical disability or maybe a sleep disorder is making them fatigued. Or perhaps their vision is impaired or they have a hearing problem that hasn’t been corrected. Try and help them get to the heart of the problem.
The most important objective is to figure out what the angle is and how to hook them so they are willing to figure out how to stop the situation from happening again. As Stephanie says, communication is a gift, so if you get this far – to the point of discussing how to avoid the violation or error in the future – you are fortunate.
Whether you are an employee, a line manager, in the human resources area, or part of senior management, the ten secrets will help you make your work environment achieve a higher level of readiness for work.
Tags: hearing loss, Human Capital, Productivity, readiness for work, Safety, sleep disorders
