Untitled Document

Positive communication essential in workplace

Being a good communicator is much more than speaking, or writing, or telling or taking. It also involves hearing and listening and showing and giving. It involves a desire to understand as well as to be understood.

Positive communication embodies the best of sharing hopes, aspirations, ambitions, priorities and direction. It not only has a place in today’s work world, it is essential in interaction with others, whether they are colleagues or customers. What you say is important; how you say it is far more important.

ITD’s Deputy Director Scott Stokes emphasized the positive approach recently when he shared “Today” with fellow members of the executive management team. The poem conveys the importance of making a positive attitude a personal priority…

Today

Outside my window, a new day I see
And only I can determine
What kind of day it will be.
It can be busy and sunny, laughing and gay,
Or boring and cold, unhappy and gray.
My own state of mind is the determining key,
For I am only the person I let myself be.
I can be thoughtful and do all I can to help,
Or be selfish and think just of myself.
I can enjoy what I do and make it seem fun, or gripe and
Complain and make it
Hard on someone.
I can be patient with those who may
Not understand,
Or belittle and hurt them as much as I can.
But I have faith in myself,
and believe what I say,
And personally intend to make
the best of each day.

D. Keith Robinson, a Web designer and developer in Seattle, offered some suggestions on his site, Asterisk, that can promote positive communication with others and lead to greater understanding and appreciation.

A Positive Attitude
The first step to communicating positively is to adopt a positive attitude. It can be hard, especially when feeling embattled or confronted, but a positive attitude can do wonders, and not only for the effectiveness of your communication skills.

Positivity breeds more positivity. Give it a try.

Positive Communication is Encouraging
When communicating, it’s important to encourage and note the good things, even when the message might be a tough one. Use positive words and phrases. Tell people how to do something, what they’re doing well or what you’d like them to do, as opposed to telling them what not to do.

Talk about what is going right, and if things aren’t working out, talk about what can be done to get things on the right track. Make a plan, set goals and move things in a positive direction.

This can be a challenge. Taking the negative road and telling people what they’re doing wrong is much easier than finding something positive to say. It also can be hard to see the positive in a sea of negative, but keep looking, it’s probably there. If not, use communication to create something positive. As with many things, practice makes perfect.

Style and Tone is Important
If you pay attention, you can see this in your everyday communications. If you go into a conversation with a negative attitude or defensive tone, you’re more likely to meet with resistance to your message.

Do your best to remain upbeat. Avoid getting defensive or using negative language. If you are angry or agitated, take a step back from what you are saying or writing. Relax and start again when you are in a better mood.

Writing can be cathartic, sometimes I like to write a dummy post to get negative thoughts and language out of my system. When I do this it usually results in a much more clear final piece. In fact, you’re reading one right now.

It can be hard to get in the habit and develop a positive tone, but if you work at it and maintain a positive attitude you’ll quickly see the benefits.

As my old creative director used to say, “You’ll catch more flies with sugar than you will will vinegar.”

Be Open and Honest
This one is pretty self explanatory. Effective communication is clear, open and honest. By speaking (or writing) honestly and openly you almost automatically bring a positivity that others can identify with.

If you aren’t sure about something, say so. If you are wrong, admit it. People can identify with a communicator who can admit he’s wrong. It will give you credibility in any future communications and create a positive picture of integrity in people’s minds.

Know When To Listen
Finally, for positive communication to work it’s important that you know when to shut up and listen. It’s easy to get caught up in the sound of your own voice. I know more than anyone, and it’s something I have to constantly work at.

I’m a talker, but I’m really learning to be a listener.

Listening isn’t a trait most people are born with. It’s a skill that needs to be learned, cultivated and practiced. I know it’s hard, but I feel that learning to listen can really improve communication.