<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>toxic work environment Archives - Braving Boundaries</title> <atom:link href="https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/toxic-work-environment/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/toxic-work-environment/</link> <description>PROFESSIONAL LIFE COACHING & TRAINING</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 29 May 2023 12:20:20 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-ZA</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <image> <url>https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Asset-1.svg</url> <title>toxic work environment Archives - Braving Boundaries</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/toxic-work-environment/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Navigating Conflict: Mastering the Art of Picking your Battles & Choosing your Strategy</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/navigating-conflict-mastering-the-art-of-picking-your-battles-choosing-your-strategy/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/navigating-conflict-mastering-the-art-of-picking-your-battles-choosing-your-strategy/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 29 May 2023 11:55:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Conflict]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Effective communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ostracism/bullying]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[choose your battles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[communication skills]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conflict]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conflict management]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conflict management strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conflict resolution]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conflict styles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[interpersonal communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[pick your battles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team dynamics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic work environment]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=5517</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Gain a greater understanding of your interpersonal conflict style and whether or not it benefits you and those around you.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/navigating-conflict-mastering-the-art-of-picking-your-battles-choosing-your-strategy/">Navigating Conflict: Mastering the Art of Picking your Battles & Choosing your Strategy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_0 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_0"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_0 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><span style="color: #be9727;"><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a style="color: #be9727; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></span> </em></span></h5> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a “recovering lawyer” I am no stranger to conflict. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I would easily classify myself as someone who doesn’t back away from conflict. Especially when/if I feel cornered. I will fight to the death. Which is kind of unusual since – naturally – when I’m scared, I freeze. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s an interesting perspective because the truth is, I never quite know which Gladiator is going to show up to the fight – will it be the Gladiator filled with bravado and confidence, ready to take on any worthy opponent? Strong of mind, of heart and of will (strong in body too. Obviously.). Or is it going to be the Gladiator who hides in the corner, in the form of a ball so small he/she/they didn’t know they could actually fit their bodies into. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can relate in almost every way to each acute stress response – the fight, the flight, the freeze and the fawn (</span><a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/fight-flight-freeze-fawn.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simply Psychology</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">). I fight when needed, I flee when something just doesn’t feel necessary, I freeze when I’m petrified – playing dead essentially – and in instances where I just know that I’m overpowered, where I cannot win, where placating is better, I become the fawn. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You see, I have had to learn how to “pick my battles” over the years. As can be expected, the fights or the conflicts I “lose” leave me feeling insecure, heartbroken, confused, lacking in confidence, and neglecting my self-worth.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And the biggest lesson for me, hasn’t just been my own reaction to conflict but learning – often through practical experience – </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how to approach conflict</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. How to “fight” in a way that doesn’t end with me in tears. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Which battles to pick – which ones to fight, which ones to walk away from. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because truthfully, I’m kind of soft. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_0"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/navigating-conflict-3.jpg" alt="" title="navigating conflict (3)" class="wp-image-5528" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_1 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Interpersonal Conflict: Picking your battles </b></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In every single human relationship, you are generally going to find different conflict styles. Something Frieda spoke about in her article </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/embracing-conflict-5-benefits-of-rocking-the-boat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><i>Embracing conflict: 5 benefits of rocking the boat</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There is –</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the </span><b><i>reactive approach</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (a person who is more passionate and reactive when faced with conflict and often seeks to provoke a similar response in others), </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the </span><b><i>positive outlook approach</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (a person who avoids conflict or escapes the impact of the conflict by looking for a ‘silver lining’), and </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the practical </span><b><i>competency approach</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (the person who focuses on putting personal feelings aside and seeks to address the situation as quickly as possible). </span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can say with absolute certainty that I have had a reactive approach, a positive outlook approach and a competency approach at some point or another throughout my life. Sometimes during the same conflictual situation, whether that be in some of my closest (but all very different) personal relationships, or in my professional career where I have tried to avoid conflict altogether. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And they have all been massive learning experiences for me. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While personal to me, I am happy to share my thoughts on each with you.</span> </p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h3><b>Example 1: Romantic Conflict </b></h3></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_1"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/navigating-conflict-1.jpg" alt="" title="navigating conflict (1)" class="wp-image-5530" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When I first met my boyfriend (now husband), we had very different fighting styles. I would be all “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">let’s sort our issues out straight away, let’s clear the air and let’s find a silver lining</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">”. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So – if we are being technical here – sort of a mix of the positive outlook and competency approach in conflict styles. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I didn’t believe in leaving things unsaid (especially right in the beginning of our relationship) and letting feelings “fester” like an open, untreated wound. Talk it out and let’s move on was what I thought. My husband on the other hand was very much an avoider. He would give me the silent treatment for a couple of days while he worked through his feelings. Eventually coming back to sort the situation out later. Once things had “simmered down”, as he liked to say. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The problem with this? At this point – for me at least – the open wound had become so festered that it was now boiling. I would let my famous temper get the better of me and I would explode. Using language often “fit for a sailor”, I would move to Defcon 1 extremely quickly whereafter blurting out things I didn’t mean to say inevitably ensued. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, I guess I would then turn a volatile shade of reactive. Again, if we are being technical. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">I felt unheard, unseen, uncared for and disrespected. When all my husband was trying to do was prevent a full-scale war from breaking out. Funny how the opposite is actually the result. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">Our fights would escalate at this point. I couldn’t see reason anymore and my once level-headed, fair partner would rise to the occasion, becoming reactive too. It was a boiling pot waiting to explode. And certainly not what two people who love one another should do.</span></p> <h3></h3> <h3><b>Lessons Learned:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, we decided that for the better of our relationship (and now our marriage) we would need to learn how to fight with one another. How to approach conflict. We learnt to talk things through as quickly as possible (even if one of us needed 5 – 10 mins to “simmer down”), finding our way to building a bridge back to one another. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It took some work, and it took effort from both of us. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">But now almost 15 years later, we have found how important </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">building the bridge is</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was that or giving up on one another. And I kind of love him. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So….</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Now we both feel heard, feel seen, our feelings feel cared about and for. And the respect – well without it, what kind of relationship do you have?</span> </p> <p><b>Questions to consider here: </b></p> <p><b></b></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What do I really want to achieve from this conflict? Is it the principle or am I really hurt?</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do I really care about this person? Do I want to preserve the relationship? Or am I happy to kick them to the curb? </span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Is it better to go our separate ways? If not, what can we do to better the situation?</span></i></li> </ul> <h2></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Example 2: Friendship Conflict</b></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_2"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/navigating-conflict-2.jpg" alt="" title="navigating conflict (2)" class="wp-image-5529" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I said right at the start that I am no stranger to conflict. I’m not afraid to stand up for what I believe, what I think, what I know to be true and fair. But it sometimes takes a while for me to get there. Unless of course, it deserves immediate retaliation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I tend to bottle up what I’m feeling. I store it all away for a later date. Not on purpose. It’s just how I am. My father use to call me a “dinky bottle”. You know, like the miniature bottle of champagne? Because I was small, but I would keep quiet, not say anything until one day I would just pop. Like a champagne bottle. And while that sounds cute. It really isn’t the case. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I have a tendency to bite my tongue. Perhaps in an effort to avoid conflict with those I care about. It makes me feel self-sufficient. Feeling like the “bigger person”. Letting it go, turning the other cheek and all that… </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But then it takes something small, something probably not meant to be insulting, and I lose it. I explode like a bottle of champagne. Every little thing that that particular person had ever done to me or said about or to me comes pouring out. I let them “have it”. I don’t hold back, and I literally release everything I have been bottling up. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This has had two endings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first, the person is taken aback but is sorry for what they have done. We discuss my feelings, their feelings and find a way to reach a happy conclusion to the conflict. Moving forward, more in sync and in a better place. A good result.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second, the person is so taken aback that they flee for their lives. Never to be heard from again. Friendships have ended. Relationships have ended. And all because we couldn’t find our way to a place of understanding and peace. There are a few political relationships like this too if you think about it. Not the desired result. Bad for all intents and purposes. </span></p> <h3></h3> <h3><b>Lessons Learned:</b></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, avoiding conflict, bottling up how we feel in an effort to save the other party from pain, is honestly a dodgy approach to trying to handle conflict. Because it’s kind of like taking a 50/50 chance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It can either create the catalyst needed to sort out the situation (especially if you’ve been bottling emotions up) or it can destroy any hope of resolution because – how do you come back from that really? How do you come back after facing conflict from someone who has seemingly avoided it for years? The behaviour that has suddenly been pointed out as wrong was accepted before. So why is how I behave now not acceptable? </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It can be a bit of a shock to the system. And sometimes the other person simply cannot see their fault and instead feels attacked for no reason. </span></p> <p><b>Questions to consider here:</b></p> <p><b> </b></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is the purpose of this conflict – what do I really hope to gain?</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do I care enough about this person/people to find a solution to the problem? Or is it only the inheritance I’m after (kidding)?</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Or do I just want to prove a point (because I’ve had enough of “unacceptable” behaviour)?</span></i></li> </ul> <h2></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_6 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Example 3: Work Conflict</b></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_3"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/BB-Blog-images-Navigating-Conflict-1.png" alt="" title="BB - Blog images - Navigating Conflict (1)" class="wp-image-5550" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_7 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I have always been vocal about my experiences within the legal profession. They haven’t all been good. Which is why I often refer to myself – tongue in cheek – as a “recovering lawyer”. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I know in the beginning I said that I’m not afraid of conflict. Or to stand up for what I believe in. I do believe that. But the problem with this is, in just about every legal role I’ve had over the years, I have seemingly fled away from conflict. Or I have tried to placate the person I am in conflict with – whatever I need to say to make the situation go away. To “save” myself. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These are not healthy reactions. I’m aware.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I have always been too scared to say what I think or what I feel about something because, for the most part at least, I have always been shot down. Or criticised. Told I’m not good enough. I even had someone tell me to go back to law school, all because I believed there was another way to solve a problem. It was different from their view. </span></p> <h3></h3> <h3><b>Lessons learned:</b></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Each time I have remained silent for fear of ridicule or abuse or each time I have placated the person who is towering over me with their domineering stance and death stare, I have hacked away at a piece of me. Of who I am. Of what I believe in. Of what I want. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I have let myself down. So many times. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But there does come a point when you are so tired of being ridiculed or made to feel small, so many times that you take the abuse, that you just want it to stop. So, you keep quiet, you avoid eye contact. You agree, you put others at ease. Just so you can be left alone. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And the only thing not saying something or trying to ease the situation did for me professionally was to ruin my self-confidence and self-belief. I became worn out, burnt out and too scared to say anything. I was a wreck. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Therefore, despite the negative side of it, when it’s called for, taking a more “aggressive” stance, practicing the reactive approach can be very transformative. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s important to stand up for what is important to you – which should include your self-worth. I wonder what would’ve happened if I had stood up for myself. Would anything have changed? I will never know because I was never able to stand up and find out. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And that’s a real shame. </span></p> <p><b>Questions to consider here: </b></p> <p><b> </b></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Will speaking up really get me fired or will it merely raise an alternative viewpoint?</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s the worst outcome if I engage in conflict (especially when murder is off the table)?</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">If I do get fired, is that necessarily a bad thing? It may help me find my purpose in life … and do I really want to work with people who behave like that?</span></i></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_1 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_8 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Conflict: Choosing your strategy</b></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As you can tell from the above, conflict is an inevitable part of human interaction, present in both personal and professional relationships. Or certainly in mine anyway. </span><b><i>How</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> we handle conflict can significantly impact the outcomes we foresee and the quality of our relationships in the long run. Whilst it may be tempting to engage in every battle that comes our way – Gladiator at the ready – strategically considering the outcome we are looking to achieve may help us decide on the most appropriate course of action – for that situation at least. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ultimately, our goals will dictate which strategy we adopt. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In his book: <em>The </em></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Interpersonal Communication Book</em><sup>1</sup></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Joseph DeVito identifies a variety of conflict management strategies. Consider which strategies you have previously adopted. Have those strategies benefited you? If not, consider what alternative strategies could be adopted in the future:</span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_4"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="800" height="4760" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Conflict-Management-Strategy-1.png" alt="Conflict Management Strategies Infographic" title="Conflict Management Strategies" class="wp-image-5525" /></span> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_2"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_2 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_9 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Conclusion</b></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all have our default strategies, but understanding these strategies, their pros, and cons, and being aware of the things that could potentially influence/trigger us, could influence the strategy we choose to take for a particular situation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, if you’re in a negotiation and want to close the deal as soon as possible, you’re more likely to seek a Win-Win strategy (i.e., compromise) rather than go for an all-out screaming match or stomp off out of the room mid-negotiation (I’ve seen this happen)! Twice! Bizarrely, it worked on one occasion but not in the other.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In our interpersonal relationships we should seek to engage in active fighting, talking and support and enhance our partner’s self-image and worth. Avoiding the conflict, forcing an opinion on your partner, demanding time, and attacking their worth are sure fire ways to see an end to a relationship – whether romantic or platonic. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There may not be an absolute ideal way to handle conflict in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">every</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> situation. Sure, we can learn from mistakes, we can try to turn a negative into a positive, we can see conflict as a path to change and renewal. Those things are absolutely possible. And true. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But find your bridges. Find your way towards building a happier, better relationship where both parties feel heard, seen, and respected. Look towards what you want for your future.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conflict in life, even in general, is inevitable. You will need to face it at some point. But </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how you do so,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in each situation you find yourself in, is key.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you need help figuring out what your conflict style is or how you can improve on your approach to conflict, especially with your significant other or other important people in your life, </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/contact-me/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">get in touch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with Frieda Levycky of </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braving Boundaries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> who can support you as you go through this process. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">(I’ll be setting up a call as soon as I finish this article….)</span> </p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><sup></sup></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><sup>1</sup> The Interpersonal Communication Book, Joseph DeVito, 15th Edition, Pearson </span></em></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_0 et_pb_divider_position_bottom et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_3 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_3 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_5"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_4 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_10 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p>About the Author, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong> Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist website</a>. <strong>Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">[email protected]</a> </strong></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_4"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_5 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_6"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/book-a-call/"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/conflict-CTA.jpg" alt="" title="conflict CTA" class="wp-image-5510" /></span></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/navigating-conflict-mastering-the-art-of-picking-your-battles-choosing-your-strategy/">Navigating Conflict: Mastering the Art of Picking your Battles & Choosing your Strategy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/navigating-conflict-mastering-the-art-of-picking-your-battles-choosing-your-strategy/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>6 ways to create a harmonious work environment</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:12:43 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Effective communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team building]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Work life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Working environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[effective workplace]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram training]]></category> <category><![CDATA[flexible working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hybrid working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[life at work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team dynamics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team enneagram]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic teams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic work environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic workplace]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work life blend]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working mom]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working parent]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=4944</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/">6 ways to create a harmonious work environment</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_1 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_5"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_6 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_11 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></em></h5></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_12 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When we think of harmony, most of us imagine a type of Utopia where everyone we meet and interact with is peaceful, agreeable and lives in perfect bliss with the people and the environment around them. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s all seemingly very “kumbaya”, at least, that’s what the </span><a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/harmony" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cambridge dictionary</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> intimates.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For me though, harmony can often be found in diversity and balance. In recognising – within the diversity – how everything (and everyone) </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">can</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> fit together. Like a beautiful dance between partners. Not everyone is the same, but when moving together in unison a beautiful sway emerges. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps it’s the words of French mathematician, </span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-Poincare" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Henri Poincaré </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">that is more accurate (I’m married to a man who believes maths is the answer to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">every question</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – actuaries, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">what ya gonna do?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">) – </span></p> <blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is the harmony of the diverse parts, their symmetry, their happy balance; in a word it is all that introduces order, all that gives unity, that permits us to see clearly and to comprehend at once both the ensemble and the details.”</span></p></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And it’s these words that ignite a thought. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps harmony in its real, basic form, is far more straight forward. Perhaps harmony is all about embracing what is different or diverse amongst us and learning to appreciate those differences anyway – learning the different moves, so you can </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">fox-trot</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> your way to a peaceful, happy place.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After all, in real life, we are all different. We all want and look for different things in life. We all have differing ambitions and therefore will seek different stimuli to achieve a different result.</span></p> <p><b>Different. Diverse. Distinct. </b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And that’s not just in life. It’s at work too. We may have a “work persona” but we are still who we are. Deep down. And our differing needs will obviously bubble to the surface. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, it’s within this framework that I wonder – how does one create a harmonious work environment? Because let’s be frank about one thing. We spend (according to Andrew Naber, an alumni of </span><a href="https://www.gettysburg.edu/news/stories?id=79db7b34-630c-4f49-ad32-4ab9ea48e72b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gettysburg College</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) one third of our lives at work. That is, on average, 90 000 hours of work over a lifetime!</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shouldn’t we be looking at how to make our work lives better? More harmonious? Happier?</span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I would say so – yes!</span></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_13 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Creating a harmonious working environment</strong></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_7"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1440" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment-1.jpg" alt="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment" title="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment (1)" class="wp-image-4949" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_14 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It should come as no surprise that to have a harmonious working environment and to work within a cohesive team, takes work. It doesn’t just happen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Again, let me repeat – we are all different. And our differences will – on occasion – cause tension. Causing our “harmonious working environment” to be out of whack. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And while I would love to say that you can all just snap back into position and continue happily as if nothing happened, that’s not always the case. It’s just not always that easy. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But you can work on it. It takes a good action plan (as formal as that sounds) to ensure that everyone works together in a way that promotes a happy work-life. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It can be done!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The question therefore – inevitably – is:</span><strong><span style="color: #c69229;"><i> what are the strategies that you can implement to encourage a harmonious work environment?</i></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After looking at several sources, most notably </span><a href="https://interaction-training.com/9-strategies-help-create-harmonious-team/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interaction Training</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the </span><a href="https://hr.un.org/page/create-harmonious-workplace"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UN HR Portal</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.simplilearn.com/building-high-performing-teams-article"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simplilearn, </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">the following points can and should be practiced in order to encourage harmony both within teams, at work and (consequently) within your own life as well: </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_6 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_7 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_8"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_8 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_15 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Have mutual respect</i></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – practice awareness of each person within your team’s unique attributes, what they bring to the table, how they are different, what they are experts at. Recognise the part each person has to play. By doing so, a strong bond will naturally be created – because when someone feels recognised, when they feel appreciated and when they are respected, the opportunities to create, to brainstorm, to encourage, to support will naturally flow freely. This is important in order to be productive and to overcome challenges as one single organism, building shared values and a sense of integrity as you go.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_7 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_9 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_9"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_10 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_16 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Practice inclusivity</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– in fact, make it your rule. This is where the differences in each of us shine through. Remember, it’s the value of our individual uniqueness that helps open a team up to new ways of doing things. And that’s important. You should also keep in mind that when encouraging new ways of doing things, how you act, your behavior and your beliefs will affect how you treat team members. Therefore, practice patience, kindness, open-mindedness, especially when someone’s beliefs are different to your own. Be proactive in asking for feedback to understand another person’s viewpoint. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_8 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_11 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_10"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_12 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_17 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Embrace diversity</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– “diversity” as a concept, often makes one think of cross-cultural differences first i.e. the differences in each of us because of our distinct cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Sure, these are important, but paying attention to diversity also means considering the differing perspectives that come from different genders, races, religions, sexual orientations and mental/physical difficulties and characteristics. You can embrace the diversity found within your team by using respectful language when referring to various groups and displaying supportive signs or posters in your office. Be prepared and willing to learn about your own personality type (most notably by incorporating the </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – discussed below – which can become invaluable when embracing diversity), because this can help you become more self-aware, engaging more easily with team members. Be open to explore your own personal biases too as this is a critical step when learning about the root of possible prejudices. And it can teach you both how to fix that bias and how avoid it in the future.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_9 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_13 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_11"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_14 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_18 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Remember that your words and actions are important</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– choose your words carefully. Don’t speak without thinking how what you say will affect someone else. It also helps to stay mindful of what your body language demonstrates to others (remember the article on </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Effective Workplace Communication</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – body language is key). Ask people about what they think and would do in each situation. Truly listen to your team members. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_10 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_15 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_12"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_16 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_19 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Manage the Self</i> </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">– when one talks about the “self” we often refer to our emotional intelligence—how well we can relate to others, even when the going gets tough. Especially when a work environment is not as harmonious as we would like it to be. This can take work on oneself too – for instance, try and empathize with and understand the perspectives of others, remain open to working on (and overcoming) your own mistakes or failures, be consistent with your interactions with others. Stop and take notice when you are not. Do what you say you will do – be true to your word. Hold yourself accountable. Ask your team members if you haven’t “walked the talk”. And then, do better! Managing the Self is an ongoing thing – you will always be working on you. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_11 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_17 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_13"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6.jpg" alt="" title="6" class="wp-image-1491" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_18 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_20 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Encourage open communication</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– not speaking up is quite common in teams. You wouldn’t be alone if you were afraid to speak up, especially during meetings. Perhaps it’s the vulnerability that keeps us all quiet. A lot of us feel this way. So, encourage other team members to speak up, to voice their opinion and support them when they do! Listen to them and then applaud them for doing so. If you cheer someone else on, when it’s your turn, they will do the same for you. Encourage an environment of open communication. And creating this sort of team culture will motivate and encourage one another, helping creative innovative ideas thrive. That’s harmonious indeed.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_12"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_19 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_21 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may be thinking – wow that’s just as bad as “kumbaya”. I hear you. They are just pointers. You can take them – or leave them – the choice is yours. But the fact of the matter is, practicing the above pointers in your day-to-day life</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encourages harmony within a team. And within you. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And it’s not just the external factors to take into consideration. It’s also about knowing yourself. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_22 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Know thyself, first!</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before you can really incorporate any of the above points into your life (and into your working environment), it’s crucial to gain a better understanding of who you are – deep down – first.</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Know yourself”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the sum of all philosophical commandments, Socrates once observed. Aristotle in all his wisdom, echoed that sentiment by saying </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> How right they were!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because to encourage diversity and actively embrace new ways of doing things – creating a harmonious working environment – requires the embrace of different personality types, while at the same time, knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">who </span></i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you</span></i></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are – </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">as a member of that team. What is your personality type? How do you fit into a team? How can you work better within a team?</span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_14"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1440" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment-2.jpg" alt="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment" title="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment (2)" class="wp-image-4950" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_23 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All pertinent questions in this journey to create harmony in your work (and personal) life. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And this is where the </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can become invaluable to a diverse team all having diverse needs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As you may recall in the article – </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/investing-in-you-the-world-of-the-enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Investing in You – The World of the Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – I set out just </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how beneficial taking the Enneagram was</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in better understanding myself and the reasons why I do the things that I do. It has highlighted my core motivations and the impact they have on my personality, how I think, how I feel and how I act.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Enneagram has been invaluable in my own journey of self-discovery, self-development, relationship building, how I can better resolve conflict according to my own personality type and how I can work better in a team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And I think for anyone looking to better understand team dynamics and looking to create a harmonious working environment, the following found on the Braving Boundaries </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is highly enlightening – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The power of the Enneagram lies in its subtle complexity, in its flexibility, and in its open-endedness, allowing it to take into account the myriad characteristics of human personality, how these traits blend in each person, and how they change depending on circumstances. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">The Enneagram is all about the WHY. It delves into our motivations and explains why we do the things we do. It offers profound insights into what makes us tick, such as the unconscious fears buried deep in our psyches that affect our everyday decisions.”</span></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The feedback session – as I said previously – was where I was able to gain a real understanding of my personality or archetype style. It’s how I got better acquainted with myself. It’s how I have been able to implement the changes suggested to me in the report. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And for </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any team</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any business</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, this would be worth its weight in gold. The perfect way to ensure a harmonious working environment, as well as effective, positive communication. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To find out more about the Enneagram Team Session and how you can both better understand team members within your oganisation whilst also discovering ways you can improve on your own communication skills, take a look at the </span><strong><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/work-with-me/">Braving Boundaries website </a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><strong><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/contact-me/">get in touch</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with Frieda Levycky today. There are fantastic programmes for both individuals and teams.</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Truly invest in yourself and your team. Ensure you create a positive, harmonious working environment!</span></i></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_15"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram-inquiry/"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/End-of-blog-post-CTA-image-1.jpg" alt="Book a Team Enneagram Sessions with Frieda Levycky" title="End of blog post CTA image (1)" class="wp-image-4875" /></span></a> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_13"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_20 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_1 et_pb_divider_position_center et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_14 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_21 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_16"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_22 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_24 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">About the writer, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">[email protected]</a> </strong></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/">6 ways to create a harmonious work environment</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Effective Workplace Communication – Learning how to talk the talk</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:00:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Effective communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Enneagram]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Finding direction and purpose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team building]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Work life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Working environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conscious communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[effective communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[effective workplace]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram for team]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram for teams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[improve team dynamics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[problem teams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team bonding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team building]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team performance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team training]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic teams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic work environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working environments]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working together]]></category> <category><![CDATA[workplace]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=4862</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Effective communication is the glue that keeps teams together, working cohesively and creating a positive working environment. How does your team communicate?</p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/">Effective Workplace Communication – Learning how to talk the talk</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_2 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_15"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_23 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_25 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></em></h5></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_26 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Sections include:</strong></p> <p> </p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#communication">Effective communication in the workplace</a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#skills">How to develop key communication skills</a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#personalities">Different personalities</a></li> </ol></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_27 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was Robert Frost that said – </span></p> <blockquote><p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.”</span></i></p></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Personally, I don’t know a better quote that describes what it means to have effective communication. Or to be an effective communicator. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To be an effective communicator is not simply a matter of speaking whatever comes to mind. A person that can communicate effectively speaks </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">to you </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">instead of</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> at you</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. They drive positive communication between themselves and others resulting in valuable communication within teams. They are self-aware and are also aware of others around them. It takes skill. Something that can be learnt just as easily (or not) as riding a bike. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it can (and should) be a skill that we all improve on. Daily. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because communication that is effective, that has impact and that results in positive outcomes, takes choosing </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">what you say</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how you say it </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">carefully</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></div> </div><div id="communication" class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_28 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Effective Communication in the Workplace</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Effective communication is the glue that keeps teams together, working cohesively and creating a positive, healthy working environment, resulting in an overall positive impact on a company’s wellbeing. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As </span><a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-communication-is-key-to-workplace-and-how-to-improve-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BetterUp</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> sets out – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Communication in the workplace is important because it boosts employee morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. Communication is also key for better team collaboration and cooperation. Ultimately, effective workplace communication helps drive better results for individuals, teams, and organizations.”</span></i></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, poor communication can affect a businesses bottom line. How you may ask. Well abusive language within a team or language that is not enabling will inevitably break down trust. As a result, employees can feel demotivated and demoralized becoming disconnected from the businesses’ culture, believing that they are uninformed and excluded from decision making. Feelings of demotivation and demoralization result in disinterest in achieving workplace goals or a complete disinterest in the workplace. Entirely. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s a lot of “dis’s” which a business should avoid! </span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">And it all starts with improving communication</span></i></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_17"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1440" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Effective-Workplace-Communication-Learning-how-to-talk-the-talk-1.jpg" alt="Effective Workplace Communication - Learning how to talk the talk " title="Effective Workplace Communication - Learning how to talk the talk (1)" class="wp-image-4880" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_29 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The truth of the matter is not everyone is the same. That may be an obvious statement, but it is worth stating. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People don’t automatically think the same or speak in the same way. How can they? We are all raised differently, we go to different schools, come from different backgrounds and (as is natural) will be motivated in different ways by different things. The result? Team members will inevitably differ (quite widely in some instances) in the way they communicate. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If any of you have worked in a team before, you will have noticed that each person within a team will approach a task in a unique way. Why? Because each person has their own needs when it comes to the support they need.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Again, we are all unique and will have individual approaches to things, our own likes, dislikes, needs and desires, and preferred ways we need to be spoken to, motivated and supported. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And it’s because of all these differences that </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">real, honest, positive and enabling communication becomes key. </span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because if a team is going to build rapport and promote an effective working relationship, each team member must develop the skill and flexibility to address collective needs and concerns through effective communication.</span></p></div> </div><div id="skills" class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_30 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>How to develop key communication skills</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Tony Robbins </span><a href="https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ask-tony/effective-communication/#:~:text=How%20to%20get%20people%20to,solutions%20and%20ask%20for%20action" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sets out</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Effective communication resolves conflicts, transfers information, increases understanding and ultimately strengthens your relationships. That said, it almost always involves some form of deep listening, empathy for the person or people you are communicating with, body language and being aware of your emotions and the emotions of others involved in the conversation that conveys the message you are ultimately trying to send.”</span></i></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And we couldn’t agree more with Tony Robbins – listening, having empathy, recognizing body language are all crucial when getting your message across. In a way that best serves the team. Not an individual.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Therefore, after looking at several resources, we have set out 7 effective communication skills that we can all do, because they are all skills that can be easily developed – </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_16 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_24 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_18"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_25 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_31 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step One – Actively listen</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was Greek Philosopher, Epictetus who said – </span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”</span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, let’s start there.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People need to make a conscious effort to listen to one another. But more than just listening, we need to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">hear one another</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. We need to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">actively listen</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This involves </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">thinking </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">about what is being said, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">acknowledging </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">what is being said and </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">understanding</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> what is being said. [1] </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Active listening takes participation, involving all of one’s senses. One needs to give another person their full attention. They need to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">show that they are listening,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and this involves a few non-verbal messages – using body language, like nodding and smiling, even murmuring “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mmm hmm”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to indicate that someone has been heard. By consciously involving oneself in the conversation the person doing the talking feels more at ease and will be more willing to communicate openly and honestly. [2] </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_17 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_26 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_19"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_27 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_32 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step Two – effective body language</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As we set out in Step One above, using body language is key when trying to establish rapport with someone. It’s not just about smiling and nodding (which are important), it goes a little further than that. Mirroring someone’s movements becomes key – matching someone else’s body movements, energy levels and breathing patterns is a sure-fire way to build rapport. It is also an effective tool in improving communication skills. Why? By mirroring someone you are attempting to connect with them, trying to build trust. The goal with effectively communicating is to get team members to identify with one another and relate to one another – engaging instead of disengaging. Answering “me too” or agreeing with what is being said – buying in to an idea or a suggestion instead of shutting it down. [3] </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_18 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_28 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_20"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_29 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_33 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step Three – show empathy and exercise patience</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actively listening and mirroring body language are only the initial steps. Because it takes real understanding and empathy towards another person – putting yourself in their shoes – that really gets someone to open up. If you can demonstrate to a team member that you understand how </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">they feel</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, you may gain a better understanding of what their pain points are and how they are struggling. And by doing that, you can understand </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how to help them. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it may take patience. And while “patience is a virtue” it is something that we all have to practice. On both sides – the listener and the speaker – it takes patience to calmly but precisely communicate how you/they are feeling, even when you/they are frustrated or annoyed (especially when). Showing empathy and exercising patience can go a long way to avoid disagreements or arguments. [1]</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_19 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_30 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_21"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_31 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_34 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step Four – Sound reasoning</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With people engaged and feeling listened to, responding to what is being said with logic and reason is the next reasonable step. What </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">is</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the goal here? What </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">is</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the core message? Once you know that for yourself, communicating it to others needs to be delivered in a way that justifies a decision – whether it’s in favour of something the team has put forward or is in a different direction to what has been suggested. And to do this, you need to give enough detail to satisfy questions and any negative reaction and instead garner support and understanding. Creating a sustainable choice comes down to reason and logic. Fact. Data. Numbers. Whatever it is that will substantiate reasoning. And this is what communicating in an engaging way comes down to – providing logical reasons upfront so that a decision is easily justified, having the complete buy-in from all team members concerned. However, there is a word of caution here – don’t launch into listing facts and figures. Instead try to integrate the valuable information naturally into a discussion while still actively engaging. Try the “power of storytelling” when giving justification for a decision, remembering it needs to be in an easy to understand and positively engaging way. [3]</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_20 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_32 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_22"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_33 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_35 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step Five – positivity, open-mindedness, and honesty</strong><b><i></i></b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes, this may be in stark contrast to the “sound reasoning” we discussed above. But, in delivering the sound reason and logic, you need to remain positive, open-minded, and honest to ensure that any trust and any rapport you have managed to build within your team remains intact. For both the listener and the speaker, remaining positive, assists in retaining the mindset that something can be done, or a goal can be achieved instead of immediately assuming it can’t (being a “Negative Nancy”). It’s about a positive outlook that is clear for all to see. Likewise, keeping an open mind where you are open to possibilities will result in a far better result than if you naysay every idea put forward. Lastly, trust is crucial when people are working in a team. Everyone involved needs to know that they can rely on one another to “have their back”, to do what they say they will do and to be honest about their intentions. Sure, this may amount to “blue skies” thinking. But in an ideal world, one where there is effective communication – positivity, open-mindedness, and honesty are key in ensuring any message delivered, is done in a way that encourages a positive outlook and engagement in what could otherwise be a difficult situation. [1] </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_21 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_34 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_23"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6.jpg" alt="" title="6" class="wp-image-1491" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_35 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_36 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step Six – Action</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s at this point that you need to ask for action. Communicating effectively involves asking for a resolution to something. It involves asking for action. If you have followed the steps above, you’ll have made whoever you are speaking to feel comfortable, engaged with and listened to. You’ll have provided sound reasoning for a decision and will have (undoubtedly) provided a solution to the issue/problem. But that is not enough. You cannot assume that someone in your team is going to take action after a discussion. You need to ask for follow-through by asking team members to commit to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">doing something</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. It could be as simple as sending an email or calling someone. Whatever it is, there needs to be an action point at the end of the conversation. [3]</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_22 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_36 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_24"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/7.png" alt="" title="7" class="wp-image-1882" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_37 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_37 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Step Seven – show you care</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s important to remember that the recipient’s of your communication are human beings. Real people who have their own stresses, hopes, fears, distractions, personal problems, and challenges. It’s therefore important to remember – before sending out an email or jumping on a MS Teams call – to remember you are just one human being dealing with another human being. And because of that, exercising care is important – now more than ever. With some team members working remotely and others working in the office, checking in with one another every now and again, asking how they are doing, following up if you know of a personal problem, shows care. And it really doesn’t have to take an inordinate amount of time. But check in. It will be so worth it. [4]</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_23"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_38 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div id="personalities" class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_38 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Different personalities</strong></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_25"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1440" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Effective-Workplace-Communication-Learning-how-to-talk-the-talk-2.jpg" alt="Effective Workplace Communication - Learning how to talk the talk " title="Effective Workplace Communication - Learning how to talk the talk (2)" class="wp-image-4881" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_39 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400;">It’s worthwhile to repeat that </span><i style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">different personality types will need different things. </span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Take myself for instance. Throughout my career I’ve always needed a softer approach when it comes to communication or receiving instructions, criticism and when delivering on required tasks. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s not that I am weak or particularly sensitive, it’s just my personality type. The problem is, it was often difficult communicating this to leaders and team members. Maybe because they simply didn’t understand that there </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">are</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> so many </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">different personality types</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> all requiring a </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">different approach. </span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It would’ve been so much easier on me had the leaders I worked for invested in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">a way to understand different personality types </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">within their teams. And this is where the </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can become invaluable to a diverse team all having diverse needs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As you may recall in the last article – </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/investing-in-you-the-world-of-the-enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Investing in You – The World of the Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – I set out just </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how beneficial taking the Enneagram was</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in better understanding myself and the reasons why I do the things that I do. It has highlighted my core motivations and the impact they have on my personality, how I think, how I feel and how I take action.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Enneagram has been invaluable in my journey of self-discovery, self-development, relationship building, how I can better resolve conflict according to my own personality type and how I can work better in a team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And I think for anyone looking to better understand team dynamics, the following found on the Braving Boundaries </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is highly enlightening – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The power of the Enneagram lies in its subtle complexity, in its flexibility, and in its open-endedness, allowing it to take into account the myriad characteristics of human personality, how these traits blend in each person, and how they change depending on circumstances.</span></i></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Enneagram is all about the WHY. It delves into our motivations and explains why we do the things we do. It offers profound insights into what makes us tick, such as the unconscious fears buried deep in our psyches that affect our everyday decisions.”</span></i></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The feedback session – as I said previously – was where I was able to gain a real understanding of my personality or archetype style. It’s how I got better acquainted with myself. It’s how I have been able to implement the changes suggested to me in the report. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And for </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any team</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any business</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, this would be worth its weight in gold. The perfect way to ensure a harmonious working environment, as well as effective, positive communication. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To find out more about the Enneagram Team Session and how you can both better understand team members within your organisation whilst also discovering ways you can improve your own communication skills, take a look at the </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braving Boundaries website </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/contact-me/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">get in touch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with Frieda Levycky today. There are fantastic programmes for both individuals and teams.</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Truly invest in yourself, your team and ensure a positive, harmonious working environment!</span></i></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_26"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram-inquiry/"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/End-of-blog-post-CTA-image-1.jpg" alt="Book a Team Enneagram Sessions with Frieda Levycky" title="End of blog post CTA image (1)" class="wp-image-4875" /></span></a> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_40 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><b>References</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[1] Beqiri, G. (2021, February 15). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Communication Skills in the Workplace.</span></i> <a href="https://virtualspeech.com/blog/communication-skills-in-the-workplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://virtualspeech.com/blog/communication-skills-in-the-workplace</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[2] Skills You Need. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Active Listening.</span></i> <a href="https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/active-listening.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/active-listening.html</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[3] Tony Robbins. (n.d.) </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">How can I communicate more effectively?</span></i> <a href="https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ask-tony/effective-communication/#:~:text=How%20to%20get%20people%20to,solutions%20and%20ask%20for%20action" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ask-tony/effective-communication/#:~:text=How%20to%20get%20people%20to,solutions%20and%20ask%20for%20action</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[4] Cookes-Campbell, A. (2022, July 14). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why Communication is Key in the Workplace and Ways to Improve.</span></i> <a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-communication-is-key-to-workplace-and-how-to-improve-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-communication-is-key-to-workplace-and-how-to-improve-skills</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_24"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_39 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_2 et_pb_divider_position_center et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_25 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_40 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_27"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_41 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_41 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">About the writer, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">[email protected]</a> </strong></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/">Effective Workplace Communication – Learning how to talk the talk</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>