Communication Skills

When faced with a conflict, our natural reactions are based in biology. As described by the famous “Fight or Flight” syndrome, impending danger spurs us to either attack or run away. Unfortunately, “fight” tendencies can lead to destructive arguments, while “flight” reactions make us avoid difficult discussions. And neither one will ever solve the problem! To replace conflict with problem resolution, you must override your biology and make a plan for tackling those tough topics. Here’s how to do that:

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Everyone needs to give feedback to others from time to time. If the feedback is positive, it’s a pleasure. But sometimes constructive feedback is required to suggest a change in someone’s actions or behavior. While these discussions can easily turn into arguments or conflicts, they should really be viewed as problem-solving conversations. The following suggestions can make feedback more comfortable and productive.

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Here’s a cross-cultural joke: An American was visiting a cemetery one day when he noticed an Asian gentleman putting a bowl of fruit on a grave. “When do you think your friend will be eating that fruit?” he asked. “The same time that yours will be smelling those flowers,” the other man replied.

This story makes a clear point about the blindness of cultural biases. The way we’ve always done things makes sense to us, but not necessarily to others. And the habits, words, and gestures of ‘those other people’ may seem confusing or odd to us. In an increasingly cross-cultural workplace, many misunderstandings can arise from cultural differences in communication. Some common areas of difference are listed below.

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Although no one enjoys being criticized, we should try to view criticism as useful feedback. At best, we may learn about habits or traits that we need to change. And at the very least, we will better understand the other person’s viewpoint. Critical feedback can help you improve, both personally and professionally. The most effective people invite helpful criticism through Critical Feedback Discussions.

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Career success involves managing the image that you present at work. To be viewed in a professional light, you must give some thought to the way you are perceived. Here are eight topics that you would be smart to avoid.

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Email – it’s fast, convenient, and often a preferred method of communication. However, it can also be a source of frustration. Many individuals receive hundreds of messages a day and spend a significant amount of time managing them. Here are a few things you can do to help ensure that your email communication is efficient and effective:

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The fact that email is quick, easy, and immediate makes it a great communication tool, but also a potential career-killer. Email presents numerous pitfalls for anyone who is careless, cantankerous, or impulsive. We therefore offer the following list of things you should never do with email.

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You’ve probably worked with people who just can’t stop talking about themselves. They rattle on and on about topics in which you have absolutely no interest. When you see them coming, your first thought is “how can I escape?”. These annoying chatterboxes inspired someone to coin the term “TMI”, short for “too much information”.

But before you judge these talkative colleagues too harshly, be sure that your own slate is clean. You may be bored to tears with the details of their vicious divorce, but do you ever return the favor by endlessly bragging on your brilliant children or recounting every shot in your last round of golf? To check your own TMI tendencies, review the list below.

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