Communication In The Workplace – Not An Easy Task

Updated 11th July 2023

Communication is complicated. Perhaps because we do it so easily and often, we generally do not appreciate just how complicated a process communication is. Without even considering the non-verbal elements of communication, just speaking on its own requires the speaker to perform two cognitively demanding tasks simultaneously: conceptualizing the information to be conveyed, while also formulating a verbal message that is capable of conveying it. The number and complexity of the factors that must be taken into account is dauntingly large (Levelt, 1989).

The level of awareness we need to have to be clear communicators is not something we talk about in everyday life. We take it for granted. The first time many people really start thinking about the complexities in communication is if they attend counselling, or a personal development course or a staff training on communication in the workplace or customer service. People generally leave these courses or events with very little change having taken place in the level of positive and worthwhile communication in the workplace and beyond.

Consider this: The meaning of even the most banal utterance is grounded in a set of fixed assumptions about what the communicators know, believe, feel and think. People experience the world from different vantage points, and each individual’s experience is unique to the particular vantage points he or she occupies. The vantage point all depends on so many factors including, background, experience, knowledge, education, gender to name only a few! To accommodate conflict or variation in perspective, communicators must take each other’s perspectives into account when they speak. As the social psychologist Roger Brown put it, effective communication “… requires that the point of view of the auditor be realistically imagined” (Brown, 1965).

However, the content of another person’s point of view is not always obvious. In his classic studies of childhood egocentrism, the Swiss developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, demonstrated that the ability to take on another person’s perspectives represents a major milestone in the child’s intellectual development. Young children are unable to detach themselves from their own point of view, and, in effect, seem to assume that the world appears to others as it does to them (Piaget &Inhelder, 1956). This reduces their effectiveness as communicators (Krauss & Glucksberg, 1977). Although adults do better, they are far from perfect, and like children their judgments of others’ perspectives tend to be biased by their own points of view. Under time pressure or when preoccupied, adults are likely to formulate messages that neglect their addressees’ perspectives (Keysar, Barr & Horton, 1998). Moreover, adults perspective-taking efforts display an egocentric bias similar to that found in children.

Furthermore, we rarely are given the opportunity to be told or to receive feedback graciously regarding how our communication is effecting others around us. People may get irritated with us, but even then they are unclear half the time what it is you did that rubbed them up the wrong way. How often do employees wane in their productivity because of lack of comprehension of the task at hand, often because the communicator (their colleague or team lead) has failed to take their perspective. How often do clients and customers just walk away because you didn’t take their perspective on board? Most of the time they won’t tell you either. In fact, they just won’t come back.

Did you know that any conversational speech is produced at a rate of about 2.5 words per second, often in noisy environments and with less than-perfect articulation. Production and comprehension could pose formidable problems for two individuals. Yet participants typically come away from conversations believing they have communicated successfully, and objective evidence probably would indicate that they have. But as stated already it is not this simple, and other people rarely provide us with useful feedback to let us know what we did wrong and what we might do better next time!

Communications skills training is perhaps the most important thing an organisation must consider if it wants its people and its customers to avoid many mistakes that are made in seemingly simple interactions. Getting communication in the workplace correct is inherently difficult as we are not taught elsewhere to be aware of the intricacies of communication and do not appreciate how complicated a process it actually is.

If you would like to have the people in your organisation become more aware of how their communication style is serving or not serving them, contact us and we can discuss how we can help you.

‘What’ Vs. ‘How’ In Staff Training And Development

(Figure: Kolb and Fry's Learning Process)

Updated: July 5th 2023

Frequently, there exists a disconnect between the content and delivery of staff training and development programs. The focus is often on the theoretical “what” aspects, rather than the practical “how” elements that should be emphasized. This raises a crucial question: How can trainees truly grasp new knowledge if they are not provided with the necessary tools and guidance to effectively apply the concepts covered in the training room?

The ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius stated, “tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.”

For staff training and development to be effective, one must identify the most critical skills to teach, and then allow learners to use the skills under realistic usage conditions. Staff training must be so compelling as to absorb participants in its realism in a way that engages more than the intellect. It must be practical so that participants may actively use it. It must be relevant to the complexities of the work life of participants, and most importantly, it must provide a memorable, lasting experience.

Many approaches to staff training and development do not address what is difficult about applying the knowledge or skills in the right ways. They make it difficult to remember or use the information appropriately once the training is over. Most of what we really know how to do we learn by ‘doing’, so any training must involve ‘doing’!

For example, when it comes to learning how to effectively communicate, a person could read every book ever published telling them how to be a good communicator. However communication is only necessary when another person is involved. Therefore, all the books in the world or classroom learning where someone imparts theories and models on how to communicate is never going to be effective in teaching somebody to sell or influence customers, or how to work effectively in a team. Furthermore, we all operate from a place of habits and patterns, most of which are learnt early in life, and which no longer serve us. Most of us are unaware of these patterns and how many of the patterns are effecting how we interact with everyone; family, friends, colleagues, and customers etc. Sitting in a room, talking about how it should all be done will not bring our awareness to these patterns of behaviour.

Staff training and development should be enjoyable but it should also have a significant impact on the learners and give them simulated experiences they can rely on when they need to deploy them in real life.

This is why Adaptas™ have brought the most experiential learning and deep reaching techniques together to create effective Interactive Training Services, which create new habits and patterns in communication. Experiential learning engages the learner at a more personal level by addressing the needs and wants of the individual, even when learning as one of a group. By developing people as individuals, rather than simply transferring arbitrary capabilities, we develop people’s confidence, self-esteem, personal strengths, and crucially a rounded sense of purpose and fulfillment, which fundamentally improve attitude, life-balance and emotional well-being. These immensely important outcomes are just as important for sustainable productive work as the essential skills and knowledge typically represented in conventional education and work-related training.

In our view, the purpose of staff training and development, is to make staff significantly happier and more productive, to increase profits as customers return over and over, and to improve staff retention so, less budget is spent on recruitment and training of new recruits. Did you know that to hire one new person costs approximately the equivalent of one year of their annual salary? Something to consider!

At Adaptas™, we aim to save each organisation we work with money and time by making everyone more effective at what they do. Our objective is to ensure the value we bring to your organisation is, by a significant margin, larger than costs associated. For this reason we insist on agreeing at an early stage, the desired results and how to measure them. Adaptas™ in association with RPCM (www.consultrpcm.com) will bring experience and ideas to ensure the measurement agreed is appropriate for all.

8 Essential Skills for Successful Business Communication Training

Updated on July 3rd 2023

What makes someone excellent when delivering staff training and development or facilitating learning in others?

Explore our insights below:

1. Effective Listening

One crucial skill for facilitators is the ability to truly listen to participants. This includes their opinions, thoughts, and needs. It is important to recognise the opportune moments to interject, whether this is by asking thought-provoking questions that foster self-awareness or by guiding individuals to question perspectives they may not have considered previously.

2. Embracing Silence

Recognising the value of silence is a key component of effective staff training. It is important to understand that not every moment needs to be filled with constant talking or noise. Allowing space for reflection is necessary, as different individuals require varying amounts of time to fully grasp concepts and ideas.

3. Strategic Speaking

When facilitating, it’s important to determine when it’s necessary to share your own knowledge or experience on the topic or scenario, while remaining humble and avoiding ego-driven monologues. As a facilitator, although you may lead many of the conversations, it is important to avoid dominating them by not allowing room for others to speak. Encourage others to contribute from their own experiences, even if they haven’t spoken before, as their insights can provide valuable perspectives on the situation.

4. Embracing Constructive Challenges

Having the ability to recognise the appropriate moments to challenge individuals or groups in a respectful and controlled manner is vital. Being comfortable with respectfully questioning and pushing boundaries when necessary creates an environment conducive to growth and learning.

5. Embracing Authenticity

Being true to yourself is incredibly important, especially when standing in front of a group. However, at Adaptas, our facilitators sometimes assume the roles of different personalities or characters to highlight specific issues, remaining in those roles as long as necessary for effective learning. With this unique approach, participants are able to interact authentically with people and situations they may encounter in the workplace, and therefore understand and analyse their real reactions and thought processes. Additionally, this approach enables participants to safely confront the types of personalities they encounter daily in their workplaces. In real-life situations, people often react without much thought due to the fast-paced nature of interactions. However, our patterns and habits, learned since childhood, may no longer serve us. At Adaptas, our facilitators provide participants with a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect, and explore alternative ways to respond to situations and others’ remarks. Additionally, we offer input and coaching to enhance participants’ communication effectiveness by identifying what does and doesn’t work for them.

6. Embracing Risk-Taking

Our approach involves facilitators constantly taking risks. Not only do they need to be authentic to themselves, but they also assume the roles of other individuals, relying on their ability to be convincing. I have consistently witnessed our facilitators and role players portray their characters believably. Nevertheless, they face a wide range of challenging questions, occasionally without knowing the exact right answer. In such situations, they must improvise and respond convincingly. Sometimes, the characters they portray must exhibit tough love. In such instances, their utmost priority is to remain aware of the impact they have on the trainees, ensuring the process does not overwhelm any individual. Managing this during and after the session is crucial. This includes providing support, creating a sense of safety, and encouraging personal growth and improved interactions with others.

7. Remaining Open to All Outcomes

With our unique approach, we emphasise the importance of not becoming overly attached to a specific outcome or always being in the right. While clients may have certain guidelines we must follow, human communication is dynamic and unpredictable. The beauty lies in the diverse experiences and personalities present in each training session. We often find ourselves leaving a session with newfound insights about ourselves, group dynamics, and organisational workings. Witnessing the remarkable strength, resilience, and intelligence in our participants is truly inspiring. This process also serves as a powerful reminder that trusting ourselves and our collaborative efforts can lead to extraordinary transformations for individuals.

8. Knowing that you are not always the expert

None of us can claim to be right at all times. It is important to frame every training session with this in mind, for the sake of yourself as a facilitator, as well as for the participants. The desire to always be right or to be the only expert on a specific topic can hinder personal and collective growth. The path to learning entails diving in and experiencing the outcomes without ego or fear but rather with self-acceptance and a spirit of collaboration. When a trainer embodies this mindset, it becomes easier for participants to embrace the same approach.

In my life, one of the biggest realisations I have ever made is that fear and trepidation is there to show us how incredible life can be on the other side.

If it is time to challenge your staff in an innovative, creative, and effective way, contact us to arrange a meeting and let’s see what changes we can help you make!

Communication In The Workplace – Not An Easy Task