Workplace communication programs in most organisations I’ve helped is completely stuffed. After twenty years of helping with workplace communication problems, I can tell you that the vast majority of what passes for education is pointless.
What really gets me – nearly all managers thinks proper interaction is about following scripts. Dead wrong.
Proper dialogue is complicated. It’s about getting to what the other person actually needs, not just waiting for your turn to speak. this resource company in regional WA last year. Their team briefings were total failures. Workers would sit there blankly, nod along, then continue with doing the same old things.
The bosses kept having a go at the workers for “not listening.” But when I sat in on these sessions, the main trouble was crystal clear. The supervisors were lecturing people, not talking with them.
I’ll never forget when I was consulting for a local firm in South Australia that was in serious trouble. Sales were down, client issues were rising, and team changes was extremely high.
The breakthrough came when we totally switched the complete system. Instead of one-way lectures, we started having real conversations. Staff told us about scary incidents they’d experienced. Supervisors really heard and posed additional queries.
The results were immediate. Injuries went down by nearly half within three months.
It became clear to me – real communication training isn’t about smooth talking. It’s about authentic dialogue.
Active listening is likely the vital ability you can build in communication training. But the majority think listening means agreeing and providing supportive sounds.
That’s complete rubbish. Actual listening means keeping quiet and actually understanding what someone is saying. It means making enquiries that prove you’ve understood.
Here’s the reality – most managers are awful at hearing. They’re busy preparing their answer before the other person completes their sentence.
I proved this with a telecommunications company in Victoria. In their group discussions, I monitored how many instances managers talked over their staff. The usual was under one minute.
Of course their employee satisfaction numbers were awful. Staff felt unheard and disrespected. Dialogue had become a monologue where management presented and everyone else appeared to pay attention.
Digital messaging is also a mess in countless businesses. People dash off emails like they’re messaging friends to their colleagues, then wonder why problems occur.
Digital communication tone is especially difficult because you don’t get voice inflection. What appears clear to you might appear hostile to another person.
I’ve observed many team arguments escalate over poorly written emails that should have been resolved with a two-minute phone call.
The most extreme example I encountered was at a public service agency in Canberra. An message about budget cuts was composed so poorly that numerous workers thought they were being made redundant.
Panic erupted through the building. Staff started preparing their CVs and reaching out to recruitment agencies. It took nearly a week and several explanation sessions to sort out the confusion.
All because one person couldn’t compose a straightforward message. The ridiculous part? This was in the media department.
Discussion management is where most businesses throw away massive volumes of effort and funds. Ineffective conferences are everywhere, and they’re terrible because no one understands how to run them properly.
Proper conferences must have specific objectives, organised outlines, and a person who maintains discussions on track.
Cross-cultural issues play a huge role in workplace communication. Australia’s multicultural workforce means you’re dealing with individuals from many of different backgrounds.
What’s seen as direct communication in local community might be interpreted as inappropriate in various communities. I’ve observed numerous misunderstandings develop from these multicultural distinctions.
Education needs to cover these differences openly and usefully. Employees require real strategies to navigate multicultural dialogue well.
Good development programs recognises that dialogue is a skill that improves with use. You won’t master it from a book. It demands regular practice and feedback.
Organisations that commit resources in proper communication training see real improvements in performance, staff happiness, and customer service.
Main thing is this: interaction isn’t brain surgery, but it definitely demands genuine effort and good education to work well.
Resources for innovative communication training represents a strategic advantage that permits businesses to excel in continuously transforming business environments.
When you loved this information and you wish to receive more info regarding Change Training kindly visit our webpage.