Communication Wheel For Couples? The 30 Latest Answer

Types and examples of communication networks

There are many types or patterns of communication networks used by organizations. Some of the more common methods are:

All Channel Network

chain network

wheel network

circle network

These types of communication networks can be centralized or decentralized. A centralized structure refers to communication coming from one source. This can be the manager at the top of the company or a team leader of a group. A decentralized structure refers to communication coming from different sources. These can be managers, employees or a combination of both and enable collaboration within the group or organization.

All Channel Network

The all-channel network is a pattern that allows all members or employees to communicate with each other. This type of network does not have a direct leader, so communication occurs between many speakers. An all-channel network allows members at all levels to brainstorm and collaborate. It is more informal and reflects diagonal communication as members can work together at different hierarchical ranks. It follows a decentralized structure.

For example, employees who all work in the same department can interact through the all-channel network. An organization that has a team responsible for event planning would have multiple types of staff to help with the various processes that go into planning an event. When the team was working on a banquet they had to cover different parts of the event e.g. B. Entertainment, Venues and Meals. Due to the need for creative ideas, the team would benefit from utilizing the all-channel network to collaborate on each of these parts. Some members may have connections to live music or entertainment talent, while others may have a better understanding of the hospitality industry.

chain network

A chain network is common in a company where there are multiple levels of authority or management. Information is sent in a downward flow from management to employees. This occurs as a set communication sequence and is a centralized structure. The message starts with a manager at the top and eventually travels through other managers until it reaches all other employees, down to those at the lowest level in the hierarchy.

For example, a company with hundreds of employees will have many levels of leadership, from CEOs to CEOs to supervisors. To ensure that a message is received by all employees, a company-level manager sends a message to lower-level managers, who are then responsible for relaying the information to their subordinates. So when a company leader sends an email to all sub-managers within the company and the sub-managers pass this information on in a meeting, they use the chain pattern to communicate.

wheel network

A cycling network is a type of network found in a variety of groups, teams and organizations. It’s a sort of centralized communication structure that allows information to flow down from managers to employees. This communication pattern consists of a leader leading the group. The leader of the group may be assigned to instruct the group, advise the group, or delegate tasks within the group. Leaders in this type of network can fill a variety of roles, such as: B. Professors, branch managers, supervisors, program directors, executive directors, and any other leadership role where there is a single leader who leads or trains the group.

Excerpt from my new book Leadership is NOT a Wardrobe Issue. Exploring life lessons about horsemanship and how these insights are applied through The Natural Leader’s leadership programs. Nancy, a 15-year veteran of the horse-learning experience industry, has conducted hundreds of programs for thousands of people. She shares her expertise on a variety of topics from thoughts on working with horses to hands on experience developing a business and references for the arena for those considering a leadership career through working with horses or expanding their current equine practice want. A certification program in a book.

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When facilitating leadership programs, we draw on what we know. The awareness wheel has become that tool. It was introduced to me early in my practice by Fred Jacques and has become an invaluable tool in guiding horsemanship programs. The Awareness Wheel provides insight into the similarities and differences in how horses and humans perceive things and why this is important when working with humans.

Developed in the early 1970’s through the research of Dr. Sherod Miller, Phyllis Miller, Elam W. Nunnally, and Daniel B. Wackman of the University of Minnesota Family Study Center, The Awareness Wheel is the foundation of their couples program on effective speaking and listening skills. Strong, trusting relationships through effective speaking and listening are skills needed by all great leaders, and the model can be applied to any relationship just as easily, moving brilliantly from the boardroom to the arena.

The Wheel of Consciousness based on the work of Dr. Sherod Miller, Phyllis Miller, Elam W Nunnally, and Daniel B Wackman.

From feeling to acting

The five sectors of the wheel provide insight into how consciousness differs in horses and humans. Whether it’s a plastic bag or a bear, horses are wired to go from sensing to acting in the blink of an eye. A horse’s instinct is to respond to any situation as if his life is at stake.

Fortunately, we have the ability to think before we react. For individuals who have fears or concerns about working with a horse, it is important to share information about horses before a session so they are prepared and know what to look out for. Although we differ from horses in many ways, there are similarities in how our brains process information, how we perceive things, and how we learn. Therefore we provide information on how horses think, learn and communicate. We also introduce the predator/prey concept so people know how their behavior can affect the results they see, and each Arena session begins with a safety/awareness demonstration.

go through the wheel

When we are outside of our comfort zone with a horse, our behavior can be similar to what we experience in a tough conversation or when confronted with something we really don’t want to do. This is where the experience with a horse can be really strong. Help the person see how much control they have in a situation through the behavior they are exhibiting.

The unease many of us feel when we are about to take that step into an uncomfortable situation is a great way to describe how we move through the stages of the wheel of consciousness. The tool can help us as moderators to formulate questions that help a person translate the feelings that might happen before, during and after their interaction with a horse. Since we humans are not the best at recognizing the stimuli that can bring us to a point of awareness, and a horse is very aware of this, “sensing” is a good place to start.

Sensing – These are just the facts. What did you notice first? was it a noise Something you saw? Is it a feeling in your stomach? Or is it a past memory? People often start with an association of a past interaction with a horse, good and, more importantly, bad.

Feeling – This is where you “interpret” what you’ve noticed. Maybe it was something you noticed out of the corner of your eye, or a feeling of jitters in your stomach. Ask people to describe what they are feeling – their answer could be “I have butterflies in my stomach”. Can you identify and name your reaction?

Thinking – This is where a feeling is translated into an emotion. Words are important at this stage because “I feel like…” introduces a thought that follows an emotion. “I’m feeling excited, anxious, insecure…” are the emotions driving the initial feeling. “I saw the horses running around when they first came into the arena. “What if” that happens again!”

Want – now what? What do you want to do? There are three types of basic needs:

1. To Be: respected, appreciated, not be hurt, etc. To Do: stay and say it; to have left: a good relationship, good experiences, to learn

If these butterflies are fear based, this is a good time to ask people to notice what else is going on in their bodies. Where is your tension? Is it part of her body? is it her whole body Can you use your breath to relax your body?

Action – This is the big point because it leads you to the question, “What’s the next step?” Are you ready to accept the invitation? This can be a difficult step, especially if they have a history of not taking responsibility for their actions, feelings, and thoughts. If they are afraid, what support can you offer? Upset?

How can you help them see the impact of the emotion? You can’t tell someone not to be afraid, but this is where you can start with questions that will make them let go of “what ifs” and notice “what ifs”.

In leadership and in horsemanship, going by the wheel is not a one-time affair, it is something that must become a habit. We become aware of our own behaviors, actions, and reactions, and become good critical thinkers about the source of what we perceive. Awareness that means we avoid going from “perceive to act” immediately.

Flower Power – A model of using the consciousness wheel for a different perspective.

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Nancy draws on personal horse experience as the basis for the programs she offers. As with horsemanship, you can understand the concepts and theories of leadership, but both rely on the understanding you gain through actual work. The combination of horses, a design degree and fifteen years of managing marketing and communications programs for a national and international clientele has given Nancy a foundation for meaningful parallels in the workplace. Previous works include the two-volume series The Games People Play with Horses; Creating exceptional leaders through learning with horses and in business to market your equine business. Nancy has spoken at numerous conferences, presents annually at the Calgary Stampede and in 2016 gave a TEDxTalk Present in Relationship on what horses have taught her about self and leadership presence.

Leadership is NOT a Wardrobe Issue is the culmination of lifelong learning and speaks to why some learning just takes a lifetime.

Please contact Nancy Lowery at [email protected] or 403.669.3666 to learn more about Leadership is NOT a Wardrobe Issue or to schedule an interview. For more information about Nancy and The Natural Leader, visit www.TheNaturalLeader.ca.

Imagine

Visualize the best version of yourself. “Ideal selves reflect our hopes, dreams, aspirations, and speak to our abilities, abilities, achievements, and achievements we wish to achieve.” (Higgins, 1987; Markus & Nurius, 1986.) When you draw on your strengths to become the better version of yourself, you can use that idealized self to move in the right direction and avoid setbacks and challenges to be distracted by other obstacles.

Ask the “what” questions

The core of self-awareness is the ability for self-reflection. However, the Eurich group claims that most people approach reflection wrongly. The problem is that we’re asking ourselves the wrong questions. In our attempt to resolve internal conflicts, we ask, “Why?” However, there is no way to answer this question because we do not have access to our subconscious. Instead, we invent answers that may not be correct.

The danger of asking “why” is that it sends us down the rabbit hole of our negative thoughts. We focus on our weaknesses and insecurities. Consider Amy, a new up-and-coming leader who struggles to speak up in meetings. Perhaps she explains her experience by thinking, “I don’t speak at meetings because I’m too low on the corporate food chain. Nobody will listen to me.”

Asking the “what question” puts us in the objective and open space to consider all the factors that influence a given outcome. Instead of “Why don’t I speak up at meetings?” we could ask:

“How was the interpersonal dynamic in the room?”

“What did I experience in my body at that time?”

“What happened that made me fall into my old story of not being good enough?”

“What can I do to overcome my fear of speaking?”

This type of introspection allows us to see behaviors and beliefs for what they are. With self-awareness we can examine old patterns and stories that don’t serve us, and then we can move on. Asking the right questions empowers us to make different decisions that produce different results.

Amy decides to make a plan because now she understands that she has a chance to overcome her problem.

She will learn more about the content and goals of an upcoming meeting to become more confident about how to contribute.

Rather than imagining what others think of her, she actively listens for cues to ask meaningful questions that move the conversation forward.

With a heightened awareness of the signals her body is giving her to signal fear and anxiety, she will name the emotion in the moment and choose not to let it overwhelm her – a huge step in self-knowledge.

use your brain

The amygdala, also called the primitive brain, was the first part of the brain to develop in humans. It acted as a kind of radar, signaling the need to run away or fight back. This part of the brain can anticipate danger and react before we can even label a negative emotion. Our hearts race, our stomachs contract, and our neck muscles tighten.

Your body’s response is a tripwire that signals the prefrontal cortex to register or label a negative emotion. Becoming aware of your physical state allows you to recognize the emotion in the moment as it happens. Becoming skilled at it rewires your brain.

Naming your feelings is critical to decision-making. When we let our emotions get the better of us, we can make bad decisions with unintended consequences. Naming your emotions allows us to take a “third person” perspective to step back and more objectively assess what is going on.

Let’s bring this home with an example. You, a confident person, engage in a conversation with someone and receive negative feedback. Your heart starts racing and you feel threatened. You say to yourself, “I feel like this person is attacking me.” But before you cry or freak out, stop and listen to the person. You discover that this person had at least one good point and start another conversation, one that’s mutually satisfying and productive.

Ask others how they perceive you

Now that you’ve discovered that feedback doesn’t have to be scary, ask other people how they perceive you in certain situations. Being specific will help give you the most concrete feedback. Be bold and ask them how they would like to see your behavior.

Exercise: Choose and list one or more scenarios for which you would like feedback.

Make two columns.

Column A: How I see myself

Column B: How others see me

In column A, make a list of words that describe your attitude and behavior at the time.

Then ask your feedback partner to do the same and record those responses in column B.

Watch out for discrepancies. You may have some blind spots that need attention.

Keep a diary

Keeping a journal is a great way to pay attention to what’s going on in your private and public self. It will also help you identify patterns that either serve you or don’t. You can use these prompts:

What did I do well today? What challenge did I face? what was i feeling How did I react? Would I have reacted differently in hindsight? What strengths have I used to focus on the best version of myself? What is my resolution for tomorrow?

practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice. It helps you become aware of what is going on in your mind, body, and your surroundings. Meditation is one of the few practices you can incorporate into your daily life, and practicing mindfulness is a wonderful tool to develop more self-control.

The path to self-discovery is a journey. The most confident people see themselves searching for mastery rather than any specific goal. As you develop your confidence, regularly ask yourself, “How are you going to become the best version of yourself today?”

How Self-Awareness Makes You a Better Counselor

Counseling Schools Search Choose a Specialization Choose a Specialization All Programs —————— Counseling: All Counseling: Clinical Psychological Counseling Counseling: Forensic Counseling Counseling: Marriage & Family Therapy Counseling: Rehabilitation Counseling: School Counseling Counseling: Substance Abuse & Addiction — — ———— Applied Behavior Analysis Family and Human Development Psychology and Behavioral Health Social Work Choose Your Educational Level Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming As a consultant you are trained to do this t observe the behavior of your clients. It is just as important for the consultant to look inwards. One of the most effective tools you will use as a consultant is your confidence. Self-awareness is an objective knowledge of your strengths and areas within your personality that need growth. In a therapeutic session, this perspective allows the counselor to question their own thoughts, feelings, and prejudices. Without this process, counselors could respond to their own and their clients’ unconscious programming. Increasing your confidence will help you become a more effective advisor when it comes to how you interact with your customers. This ability can advance your professional and personal development.

What is countertransference? It is important to address any type of unconscious or conscious transference in the therapeutic relationship. This helps maintain appropriate therapeutic boundaries and allows you to offer empathetic care to the client. As a counselor it is normal to have positive or negative feelings towards your client. Countertransference often begins with unresolved issues related to the counselor’s family or cultural upbringing. When consultants become aware of these inner reactions and gain understanding from them, they become more successful consultants. Without proper understanding, countertransference can disrupt the therapy process. Listed is the American Psychological Association’s (2017) Code of Ethics on Competency, Personal Issues, and Conflict. APA 2.06 Personal problems and conflicts “Psychologists will refuse to work when they know, or should know, that their personal problems are likely to prevent them from performing their work-related activities competently. When psychologists become aware of personal problems that may affect their ability to adequately perform their work-related duties, they take appropriate action, such as: (See also Standard 10.10, End Therapy.)”

How to Identify and Avoid Bias When counselors engage and work to raise awareness of their own thoughts, feelings, and biases, the therapeutic relationship will benefit and the client will not be harmed. If you know your personality and your biases, you can control your internal reaction and stay present with the customer. This is stated in the American Counseling Association Code of Conduct (2014) A.4. Avoid harm and impose values: A.4.a. Avoiding Harm and Imposing Values ​​”Counsellors act to avoid harm from their clients, trainees and research participants and to minimize or remedy unavoidable or unexpected harm.” A.4.b. Personal Values ​​“Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors and avoid imposing them. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees and research participants, and seek further training in areas where they are at risk of imposing their values ​​on clients, particularly when the counselor’s values ​​are inconsistent with the client’s goals or are discriminatory in nature.” At diagnosis Mental disorders are governed by the American Counseling Association Codes of Ethics (2014) E.5.c. Historical and Social Bias in the Diagnosis of Pathology states: “Counselors recognize historical and social biases in misdiagnosing and pathologizing specific individuals and groups, and strive to become aware of and address these biases in themselves or others.”

Having and Maintaining Competency Part of being competent is being aware of your abilities and admitting that you may not be qualified to work with certain customer problems or populations. That doesn’t make you any less of a consultant. It is impossible for counselors to know all the subjects of psychology. Some of your clients may benefit from other supportive services in addition to the therapy you provide. When referring a customer for additional services, obtain a sharing of information between you and the other provider to effectively coordinate care. If you find that you do not have the appropriate training or experience to work with a particular client problem, your client may need to be transferred to another therapist. Various codes of ethics from the American Counseling Association (2014) describe professional competence and also emphasize the importance of maintaining competence throughout the psychotherapist’s career. C.2.a. Limits of Competency “Counselors practice only within the limits of their competency based on their education, training, experience under supervision, state and national professional qualifications, and appropriate work experience. While multicultural counseling competence is required in all counseling specialties, counselors acquire knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, dispositions and skills to be a culturally competent counselor when working with a diverse clientele.” C.2.b. New Areas of Practice “Counsellors only practice in areas that are new to them after appropriate education, training and supervised experience. In developing skills in new specialties, consultants take steps to ensure the competence of their work and protect others from possible harm.” C.2.c. Qualified for Employment “Counselors will only accept employment for positions for which they are qualified based on their education, training, mentored experience, state and national professional qualifications, and reasonable work experience. Consultants only hire people who are qualified and competent for those positions for professional consulting positions.” C.2.d. Monitoring Effectiveness “Consultants continually monitor their effectiveness as professionals and take steps to improve where necessary. Advisors take appropriate steps to seek peer supervision to assess their effectiveness as advisors.” C.2.e. Consultations on Ethical Commitments “Consultants will take reasonable steps to consult with other consultants, the ACA Ethics and Professional Standards Division, or related professionals when they have questions about their ethical commitments or professional practice.” C.2.f . Continuing Education “Advisors recognize the need for continuing education in order to acquire and maintain an appropriate awareness of current scientific and professional information in their areas of practice. Counselors maintain their competency in the skills they use, are open to new practices, and stay abreast of best practices for working with diverse populations.”

Using Transference to Help Your Client Grow Clients often unconsciously transfer feelings about someone from their past onto the therapist. It is important for the therapist to maintain appropriate boundaries and self-awareness to recognize this common phenomenon. Often clients’ transference arises from their unresolved family issues and cultural upbringing. One way to increase your self-confidence is through education. Research what types of reactions customers have to specific diagnoses. This way you will be better prepared in the session when you encounter them. As a counselor, you can reduce a client’s defensiveness when you point out your client’s transference in a reflective and sensitive manner. Rather than avoiding the transference that occurs naturally, the counselor can use these feelings within themselves to guide and inform their work with the client. Part of the counselor’s job is to identify transmissions and interpret them for your client. Each transference can help your client become more aware of their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. When transmission occurs, your job as a counselor is not to get caught up in what is happening. Your own self-awareness can help act as a mirror and help the client reflect his or her feelings. It’s best when working with clients to adopt a curious rather than judgmental attitude. Remember that we all have prejudices that can prevent us from seeing each other clearly. Advisors and clients will influence each other.

Remember Your Why Counselors may face doubts about their career choice as a counseling student early in their career and even after many years of practice. Self-awareness can serve the counselor not only clinically but also personally. Accessing this inner knowing will help you connect to the reasons you wanted to become a consultant in the first place. This reminds you of why you chose to go to school or step onto the field. You may find that your original reason for entering the consulting field is not the same as it is today. It’s not uncommon for your values ​​to change over the course of your career. As you gain more experience, you grow and change. When you remember your “why,” you will find purpose in your work. Your purpose becomes your professional identity. Knowing your personal “why” reminds you to persevere when clinical work gets difficult and you need to find your direction again.

Four Ways to Build Confidence Confidence is one of those concepts that sounds simple but can be challenging in practice. Counselors can begin by increasing self-care, practicing mindfulness or meditation, journaling, and seeking support. 1. Increase Self-Care – NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals Code of Ethics (2021) Principle III: Personal Responsibility and Workplace Standards states: “III-18 Self-Monitoring: Providers shall engage in self-care activities that promote and maintain their physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being.” Self-Care Boundaries help you increase your self-awareness by creating a clear line between your inner experiences and those of your client. The more you take care of yourself, the better able you are to be present and provide therapy for others. It is important to allow yourself time of silence and space away from the counseling work in order to process and integrate. Take five to ten minutes each day to connect with yourself without distractions. 2. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation – Mindfulness helps counselors become thoughtful rather than reactive by focusing on the present moment. This gives the consultants the opportunity to release any triggering material from the client. Mindfulness allows you to become aware of your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that may interfere with the counseling process. The more aware you are, the better able you are to identify those sensations and thoughts as they arise. With this understanding, you can decide to release any internal blocks you have and move on to the next course of action. Mindfulness and meditation help you learn to observe your own thoughts and feelings without attaching personal meaning to them. If you find that you have difficulty letting go of a particular sensation, thought, or feeling, make a mental note or handwritten note of your reaction and refer to it later. 3. Journaling – Writing can help you reduce negative thoughts, emotions, and prejudice by putting your inner experience outside of yourself on the side. If you made a note during the session, you can explore your thoughts and feelings in more detail later in the day through journaling. After completing your texts, choose an alternative form of action through self-care, supervision or your own advice. 4. Connect to Support – It can often be helpful to get an objective opinion from other practitioners, whether through professional supervision, peer supervision, or your own guidance. Use professional and collegial supervision, especially in difficult cases. Supervision sessions can help you recognize countertransference and transference. Seeking your own counseling can help you gain a different perspective while connecting more deeply with your feelings, thoughts, and prejudices. Cognitive behavioral and affective techniques can help you reduce biased thoughts and emotions.

Emotional Intelligence – 12 ways to improve your confidence in the workplace

Page updated on July 22, 2022

A high level of self-awareness is one of the keys to building your emotional intelligence, and this can help you deal with stress better, support your self-development, and help you better understand colleagues and other people.

So, with the benefits in mind, let’s take a look at 12 simple steps and techniques to improve your own confidence.

(Note: You can also use this post as a training activity if you are a teacher or trainer – see the bottom of this post for instructions on the activity).

1. Keep an emotion journal

It can be difficult to remember what emotions we feel on a daily basis and what triggered them.

Journaling allows you to review what happened and identify patterns in your emotions. For example, you can see which emotions make you feel better, which ones drag you down, and which situations trigger them.

Describe the emotions you feel, the situations you experienced them, and the people who surrounded you, and remember to also describe the physical sensations you felt.

Seeing this information in writing can be surprisingly effective for learning to understand your own emotions, and this technique can be used to help understand your emotions at work or in your personal life.

2. Set an awareness trigger

Remembering to write an emotion journal can be something many of us might start, but then we forget.

Therefore, it can be effective to set an awareness trigger, i. H. an alarm that sounds a few times a day.

This alarm will remind you to check your emotions. When the alarm goes off, take a minute or so to review how you’re feeling and why.

This is another very easy technique to perform and you may be surprised how it will help you become so much more aware of your emotions.

3. Reflect on behaviors

At times, especially when you are at the beginning of your emotional awareness journey, it can be difficult to focus on abstract emotions. Instead, examine your behavior.

If you have the opportunity, e.g. For example, if you sit down for 5 minutes with a cup of tea or coffee, pretend that you are looking at yourself from the outside and seeing what you are doing.

What are your actions? How do you react to events?

After observing your actions, ask yourself why you acted the way you did.

4. Develop your emotional vocabulary

Use a tool like the Emotion Wheel to identify words that help you describe your feelings and gauge the intensity of your emotions.

You can use these words from the wheel of emotions to help you with points 1, 2 and 3 in this post.

5. Know who and what is pushing your buttons

Instead of thinking about situations in general, it makes more sense to determine exactly what triggers your reactions.

Knowing your triggers can put things into perspective and give you more time to collect yourself.

For example, you might be irritated by the colleague next to you who is constantly changing things and piling up a lot of paperwork. This may be because you are a person who is organized and tidy and cannot stand confusion.

If you know exactly why you find your coworker irritating, you’ll be better able to deal with that feeling of irritation because you’ll know why it’s happening.

So instead of lashing out, you could either accept the situation and think it’s not that big of a deal, or confidently propose a solution or compromise that will help you and your colleague live peacefully together in the future.

6. Ask yourself why you do the things you do

Sometimes we might do something atypical or something we regret.

When that happens, ask yourself why you acted the way you did. Consider:

What emotions influenced your behavior?

Can you remember if this happened at other times?

Was there a trigger (a person or a situation)?

7. Don’t treat your feelings as good or bad

When you experience an emotion, avoid judging it. Just notice what you are feeling without trying to judge whether it is good or bad.

Assessing your emotions only causes other emotions, such as guilt or fear, to pile on top of them.

This will only confuse you and prevent you from clearly understanding how you are feeling.

[The points on this slide above are a continuation of the previous slide and these points are explained below.]

8. Observe the ripple effects of your emotions

The way you behave because of your emotions affects the people around you. Therefore, it is important that you not only observe your emotions, but also how other people react.

For example, imagine you are a team leader who, for whatever reason, is often angry. You are unaware of your emotions and wonder why your team members are always nervous and never come up with ideas and suggestions when there is a problem.

They may not want to take any chances and may be on the receiving end of your anger if they say something you don’t like.

As a result, they will be less assertive and less creative in solving problems.

9. Accept your discomfort

Sometimes dealing with your emotions can be uncomfortable, even painful. Maybe you don’t like what you see. If this is the case, don’t let that stop you from working on your self-discovery.

Just accept that this is so and be more accepting of your emotions and more compassionate with yourself.

If you ignore your emotions, they won’t go away. Instead, they will only reappear when you least expect it.

10. Feel your emotions physically.

Body and mind are very closely connected. Every time you experience an emotion, your body feels it even before you are aware of that emotion.

If you are alone and have a few minutes, do this exercise. Close your eyes and notice how your body feels. how do you breathe How fast is your heart beating? Do you feel tension in your muscles anywhere in your body?

Now imagine you are feeling an emotion, perhaps remembering a situation from the past. Think about it as vividly as you can.

Has the feeling in your body changed?

Do you breathe deeper or shallower?

Are your muscles tense or rather relaxed?

Is your heart beating faster or slower?

11. Check how you look.

Usually, our emotions affect the way we present ourselves to the world. For example, when we’re feeling down, we might neglect to style our hair properly, or we might wear dark colors.

If instead we’re feeling happy and confident, we may strive to look our best and may opt for cheerful colors.

Paying attention to how you present yourself in terms of your outward appearance usually provides a good insight into your inner feelings.

12. Explore your emotions in art

Artists are good at depicting emotions and/or evoking emotions in us.

Whether you are watching a dance performance, a film, a play, a painting, or listening to music, pay attention to the emotions that are either being portrayed or that the artwork evokes in you.

This is a fun way to get acquainted with your emotions.

Bonus: get feedback

It’s important to look at yourself, but it has limitations as you’re looking at yourself through your own lens, which may be distorted.

Asking people you trust for feedback on how you respond to situations can give you a more diverse perspective.

Ask more than one person, and when asking for feedback, ask them to provide specific examples of situations.

Use this as an emotional intelligence training and workshop activity

You can also use this post as a training activity

Activity: 15 to 20 minutes.

Show the title of the slide, but don’t show bullets until after the activity.

Ask participants to form groups of 3 or 4 people.

Give them a sheet of A1 paper and some markers for each group.

Explain to the groups that they need to brainstorm to create a list of things they would do if they wanted to improve their self-confidence.

Ask each group to write their list on the A1 sheet.

Give the groups 5 to 10 minutes for the activity.

When the time is up, start a whole class discussion for each group to share their ideas with the rest of the class. Allow 10 minutes for this.

After the discussion, show the bullet points on this slide and the following to compare their ideas to your list.

Below (after the online teaching suggestions) you will find an explanation for each point on the slide.

When you teach online

Use breakout rooms to divide participants into groups.

Participants can jot down their ideas using an online whiteboard, chat, or an online tool such as Lino or Padlet.

When the group activity is over, bring participants back to the main room for the full class discussion.

Sharing is caring!

Self-awareness means having a clear understanding of your personality, your thoughts, emotions, and eventual behaviors. It allows you to better understand how you come across to other people, how they perceive you, and ultimately how you manage your responses to them, ensuring they’re an important part of the conversation.

As you know, strong communication skills are essential for professional success. Clear and confident communication with your employees and customers creates better professional relationships, happier customers and a more efficient business. However, there continues to be a significant level of misunderstanding and misinterpretation of communication, whether verbal, written or non-verbal.

In recent years, the Independent Directors Council (IDC) in the US commissioned a study to determine how much miscommunication costs companies on average per year. A series of phone interviews were conducted with managers, HR and employees from 400 companies and the results show that companies with 100,000 employees lose an average of $62 million a year due to misunderstandings! That’s an average loss of $624 per employee! This cost level is not unique to large companies. Miscommunication and misinterpretation of communication occurs in all companies worldwide.

To avoid similar losses in your organization, before evaluating your employees’ communication style, evaluate yourself first!

To avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations, take responsibility for ensuring that the person or persons you are communicating with clearly understand what is being said and/or asked.

Build your confidence in your communication:

Use “I” statements. Just say what you think or feel about something and own it. Ambiguity leads to misunderstandings. “I get frustrated when people are late for meetings” versus “Some people might think that people who are late for meetings are passive aggressive”.

Just say about something and own it. Ambiguity leads to misunderstandings. “I get frustrated when people are late for meetings” versus “Some people might think that people who are late for meetings are passive aggressive”. Be specific and non-judgmental. State the facts clearly rather than expressing your opinion, which may be influenced by the behavior of others. “You interrupted me several times during our appraisal interview” versus “You seek attention and don’t care about others”.

. State the facts clearly rather than expressing your opinion, which may be influenced by the behavior of others. “You interrupted me several times during our appraisal interview” versus “You seek attention and don’t care about others”. Don’t be afraid to describe how something made you feel. In the past, describing our feelings was frowned upon and was considered a sign of weakness. How you feel actually affects your message. “I was angry when you interrupted me during our appraisal interview.”

. In the past, describing our feelings was frowned upon and was considered a sign of weakness. How you feel actually affects your message. “I was angry when you interrupted me during our staff meeting.” Make sure your verbal and non-verbal communication say the same thing! Saying “I enjoyed your presentation to the board…” with rolling eyes or a sarcastic tone will confuse people and most likely reduce trust, which shuts down the communication.

Respect is a key factor:

In order to improve your communication with others, you need to make sure that you are always respectful towards them. Some simple tips to help you with this are:

You bring pen and paper to meetings and take notes to show your interest and importance of what was said.

They respond to all calls and emails within 24 hours, even if it just means you’ll have a later reply.

Make eye contact while interacting with co-workers/customers/patients/stakeholders. When you’re listening to a person, you have to consciously make eye contact 70% of the time.

Never roll your eyes when you’re in the middle of a discussion or meeting.

Don’t interrupt while others are speaking.

In the event of an argument or heated discussion, always repeat what you heard the other person(s) say to confirm your understanding before responding.

Make sure your starting position is the belief that people are trying to do their best and be honest in their communications.

Awareness is the ability to perceive and become aware of one’s inner world while simultaneously being aware of the outer environment. Leaders who learn to pay attention, observe others, and understand their strengths and weaknesses can affect how they respond to others—and how others respond to them. Neuroscience has shown that consciousness arises when information is exchanged between several different areas of the brain.1

Non-verbal communication accounts for a large part of our conversations, but many executives don’t have the skills to use this information to identify objections or problems from a customer or employee. At work and at home, so many nuances are missed when people don’t recognize what they’re trying to say (verbally or not).

Using fMRI to follow the neural patterns

The neural basis of consciousness has been the goal of neuroscience for years. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), scientists hope to map the neural network that helps us recognize who we really are.

A recent article highlighted how researchers were trying to determine which parts of the brain are active during self-awareness versus unconscious self-processing. The authors reported neural responses during self-awareness processing in the prefrontal cortex, medial temporal cortex, and retrosplenial cortex. These results suggest that the neural components of consciousness are not limited to the frontal lobes of the brain.2

The lack of awareness among executives

It is difficult for some people to find out who they are and how they come across to others. Confidence is an incredibly important skill for leaders in the Imagination Age. The demands of leadership in today’s workplace can lead to increased work stress, which impacts mental and physical health.

What I’m really concerned about is how do we increase our sense of self as humans, as biological organisms? Mae Jemison

Acknowledging a lack of awareness is one way to improve leadership skills. Only about 10% of people show high levels of self-esteem, and in some cases, the higher up a person is in an organization, the lower their self-esteem. It’s almost as if there’s an inverse relationship between confidence and power.3

When leaders reach the executive level, it’s easy to lose touch with reality and surround yourself with “yes” people who tend to agree with you. There are so many expectations that executives may not pay as much attention due to the demands of customers, board members and colleagues.

It’s no wonder consciousness plummets given the constant distractions most people face. While technology connects us, it also distracts us and can keep our minds from fully focusing on the task at hand. To remain effective in the ever-changing global economy, leaders should raise awareness to maximize personal effectiveness and their ability to lead and persuade others.

When a person is more confident, he or she can become part of a confident team. according to dr Tasha Eurich Confident teams should constantly evaluate problems and then tackle them. Each person must determine what impact they have on the team’s performance and whether progress is being made toward the team’s goals and objectives. Confident teams become more innovative, efficient and rewarding for members. Just as most people are unaware of themselves, so are most teams.4

Consider these tips to increase your own awareness and thereby enhance interactions in your personal and professional spheres.

Get feedback from others.

Getting feedback is a good first step, but you must also be willing to listen. And feedback doesn’t always have to be formal. Outside of meetings, listen to those around you and ask others for opinions on your traits and try to correct limitations. Top athletes are constantly looking for feedback from coaches, but we as leaders are often reluctant to ask for feedback.

Lead by positive example.

The “Golden Rule” states that we should treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves. By setting a positive example, you model the behavior you expect in the workplace. Start small by smiling more often, asking how others are doing, and taking the time to listen. Remember that there is more to life than just making money.

Be open minded.

It is easy for us to fall into a regular routine. We feel more comfortable when we can control small aspects of our lives. Stepping outside the norm can be uncomfortable and challenging. By increasing your mindfulness, you increase your awareness and can be more agile and reactive as a leader. Your leadership journey should be open to change, so try to imagine a path in the forest with many possible routes versus a cobbled, stone-carved road that doesn’t allow for exploration.

Observe the reactions of others.

A narrow focus is effective for checking off tasks from a list. However, this task-oriented mindset means leaders may have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes. Quality leaders should see the big picture, and understanding the role of the brain can help us look around. By observing others, you can build trust and improve performance—for you and your employees.

Discover (or discover) yourself.

Life is hectic. There are many demands on your time and energy, and finding time for yourself can seem hopeless. Stress will eventually bring even the strongest leader to their knees when the toll on body and mind becomes unbearable. To be the best version of yourself, take your time and get to know yourself.

You may not be the same person you were a decade or even a month ago and as you increase your awareness of yourself the positive effects will spill over into all aspects of your life.

You can learn to pay attention to what is happening around you. As we expand our understanding of the intricate neural networks that govern consciousness, we learn more about how to support optimal brain health and incorporate this knowledge as leaders.

Citation:

1. Damiano S, Cubeiro JC, de Haas T. Leadership Turned Upside Down: The i4 Neuroleader Revolution. About my brain institute. 2014

2. Tacikowski P, Berger CC, Ehrsson HH. Separation of the neural basis of conceptual self-awareness from perceptual awareness and unconscious self-processing. cerebral cortex. 2017;7(1):3768-3781. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhx004

3. Carmichael SG. Interview with Tasha Eurich. Harvard Business Review. 2018. Available at: https://hbr.org/ideacast/2018/06/how-to-become-more-self-aware.html

4. Eurich T. Insight: The surprising truth about how others see us, how we see ourselves, and why the answers matter more than we think. Krone publishing group. 2017

There are five essential factors for successful communication. Five spokes, if you will, driving the communications wheel forward with momentum.

The Message: Get to the bottom of the main message and let it stick. The right message is always simple, consistent and clear. It’s never padded, never ponderous, never sounds like spin. People can see through all this stuff for miles. Spin, for example, is just words with no actions. One of the most powerful messages in American business has been IBM’s think mantra. It was easy to understand, relevant, had traction and meaning. A word with a strong meaning. The Messengers: Messengers are those who naturally repeat the message and clearly remind people of it. We no longer live in a world of mass media. Those happy days are gone forever. Instead, we live in a world of mass niches — niches fueled by the explosion of digital media. When announcing positive or negative news, it is imperative to have multiple messengers as opposed to a single messenger. It’s a total team approach. It requires discipline, focus, clarity and a core group of people saying together what really needs to be conveyed in a dialogue, not a monologue. Timing: Messages told too early or too late, whether inside or outside a company, can invariably impact their reception. Be timely with your message. A simple way to make sure this happens is to ask when is the best time to say what needs to be said. really think about it For example, bad news is often best communicated at the end of the week. Other times it’s a message earlier in the week – know the difference between the two options. All in all, use your timing wisely. Tone: This one is often overlooked. Don’t be unmusical! Tone is about how you sound when communicating with others – happy, sad, serious, excited, lovely, contrite, etc. The best communicators control tone like a volume knob. They know when to turn the volume down and up and when prompted to hit the mute button. Great speakers like Presidents Kennedy and Reagan were masters at using the right tone to communicate effectively. It was her secret weapon. The right tone leads to messaging home runs. Location: Think carefully about where you need to communicate the message. Imagine if President Lincoln didn’t have the Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg or Reagan’s dramatic “Mr. Gorbachev is tearing down this wall” Speech was not given in front of the bare Berlin Wall. If you have an important message to hammer home, think ahead about where that place needs to be. Allow others to express their opinions.

The message, the messengers, the tone, the timing and the place. These are the spokes that move the wheel in the right direction. Embrace the five and your communication will come alive.

Two-way communication is a form of transmission in which both parties involved transmit information. Two-way communication is also referred to as interpersonal communication. Common forms of two-way communication are:

A communication cycle and two-way communication are actually two different things. If we [who?] closely examine the anatomy of communication—the actual structure and parts—we will discover that a communication cycle in its entirety is not two-way communication. That said, two-way communication isn’t as easy as one might think. One can improve two-way or interpersonal communication by focusing on the speaker’s eyes, making eye contact, observing body language, responding appropriately with comments, questions, and paraphrasing, and summarizing to confirm main points and accurate understanding.[1 ]

Two-way communication differs from one-way communication in that two-way communication occurs when the receiver gives feedback to the sender. One-way communication occurs when a message only flows from the sender to the receiver and thus does not provide any feedback. Some examples of one-way communication include radio or television programs and listening to policy statements from top executives. Two-way communication is particularly important in that it enables feedback to improve a situation.[2]

Two-way communication involves feedback from the receiver to the sender. This allows the sender to know that the message was accurately received by the recipient. Communication is also negotiated, which means that the sender and receiver listen to each other, the messages then gather information to respond. A person is the sender, which means they send a message to another person via face to face, email, phone, etc. The other person is the recipient, meaning they are the one who will receive the sender’s message. After receiving the message, the recipient sends back a reply. For example, Person A sends an email to Person B –> Person B replies with their own email back to Person A. The cycle then continues. This diagram shows two-way communication and feedback.

[Sender] ←——- | \[encoding]\| | [channel] [feedback] | | [decode] / | /[recipient]———->

Two-way communication can take place horizontally or vertically in the organization. When information is exchanged between superiors and subordinates, it is called vertical two-way communication. On the other hand, when there is communication between people who hold the same rank or position, it is called horizontal two-way communication. Two-way communication is shown in the following diagrams:[3]

(Superior)—————> (Subordinate)—————> (Superior) (Information) (Feedback)

There are many different types of two-way communication systems, and choosing the best one to use depends on things like intended use, location, number of users, frequency band, and cost of the system. “Regardless of the type of system chosen, the only common trait is that all components must be compatible and work together to support a common purpose.”[4]

Ham Radio, Citizen Band Radio and Family Radio Service[edit]

Ham radio is used by many groups of people for entertainment and as a hobby. These people refer to themselves as “hams”. Ham radios are also known to be a reliable means of communication when all other forms fail. In times of disaster, communication via amateur radio has resulted in saving lives.[5] Citizens band radio (CB radio) can be used by anyone who is not a member of a foreign government. It is intended for short-range communications with devices imitating walkie-talkies.[6] Family Radio Service (FRS) is also intended for short-range communications using devices that imitate walkie-talkies. Like CB radio, FRS does not require a license and can be used by anyone who is not a member of a foreign government.[7]

Chat rooms and instant messaging [ edit ]

Instant messaging became very popular around 1996 and became even more popular in 1997 with AOL. The concept behind IM is that it is a way for two people to communicate quickly, given tools like knowing when to see news or knowing when others are online. Many social media sites have integrated IM into their sites to spread the communication. Chat rooms are very similar, except they are messages to a group of people. Chat rooms are often public, meaning you can send [who?] a message and anyone is free to join the “room” and view the message and respond.[8][9]

Personal communication[ edit ]

When it comes to business, 75% of people believe face-to-face communication is key. Face-to-face interaction is useful for solving problems more efficiently, building long-term relationships, and solving a problem or creating an opportunity quickly. 4 out of 6 of the most important qualities in building a relationship cannot be achieved without the power of personal contact, which requires a rich communication environment. Executives believe that face-to-face collaboration is critical to more than 50 percent of the most critical strategic and tactical business processes when engaging with colleagues, customers, or partners.[10]

Telephone conversations[ edit ]

The telephone is a device that is relatively easy to understand and use. The telephone connections used today have remained remarkably unchanged compared to those of almost a century ago. Connecting to the phone company is also fairly easy. The phone makes it easy to instantly connect with others from around the world, making it easy to have a two-way conversation with a neighbor or with someone many miles away. Phones have undergone quite a few changes over the years. For example, today’s telephones use electronic switches instead of operators. The switch uses a dial tone so when you pick up the phone you know that both the switch and the phone are working properly.[11]

Computer networks[ edit ]

Computer networks are used to have two-way communication by allowing computers to exchange data. Ways this is possible are wired connections and wireless connections. Types of wired connections are Ethernets and fiber optic cables. Ethernets connect local devices using Ethernet cables. Fiber optic runs much of the way underground and is the primary source of Internet in most homes and businesses. Types of wireless connections include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The problem with these networks is that they don’t have unlimited connection spans. In order to extend the range, there are long-distance connections such as satellite and mobile networks. There are also long-distance connections that require backhaul to move the data back and forth and the last mile to connect the provider to the network.[12]

References[edit]

A common problem that often plagues both large and small organizations is the underuse of two-way communication in the workplace.

Two-way communication is a major factor affecting employee trust and engagement within an organization. It promotes a free flow of information in both directions and facilitates the constant growth of managers and employees.

The more conscious promotion of two-way communication within internal communication systems in the workplace is one of the many steps modern organizations are taking in a good direction.

In this article, we examine the concept of two-way communication, the reasons why it should be considered the most important aspect of any organization, and what you can do to make it work in your organization.

What is two-way communication?

Think of two-way communication like a tennis match. As soon as the ball is served, the player at the other end shall return it – otherwise there is no game.

This constant back and forth between two or more players makes the game possible and also interesting. It’s unrealistic, to say the least, to play on an empty seat, not allow anyone to enter and expect the audience to remain invested in the game.

Communication in the workplace works in a similar way. Addressing people instead of talking to them leads to apathy and lack of motivation in employees, which is reflected in their overall engagement and job performance. Motivated, engaged, and productive employees are those who feel their voice is heard – who feel they are working with management, not for management. In other words, unlike one-way communication, two-way communication includes both upstream (from employees to managers) and downstream (from managers to employees) communication.

Two-way vs. one-way communication

Two-way and one-way communication are two very important types of internal communication. Both play a role in building an open and efficient communication system in the workplace. But in order to use them effectively, we must first understand the differences between them.

One-way communication Two-way communication Linear – information flows from sender to receiver and ends there Circular – information flows back and forth continuously from sender to receiver Feedback is neither necessary nor expected Feedback is expected and encouraged Used to simply transmit messages , Commands, Updates, and Announcements Used to convey more complex messages, brainstorm, and make agreements. Takes less time. Takes longer. more formal. Less formal. Does not improve understanding and relationship between sender and recipient : group emails, newsletters, presentations, speeches, radio/TV broadcasts, bulletin board notes, etc. Examples: staff meetings, face-to-face meetings, video calls, phone calls, etc.

Reasons to improve internal two-way communication

Relying solely on downward communication will not get you far in your business endeavors. Finally, two-way communication promotes an upward flow of information. Here are the four main reasons why an unhindered and transparent two-way flow of information is good for your business.

Two-way communication prevents information overload

Think about the age we live in – phones, laptops, tablets, PCs – most people can find at least one of these devices within reach at any time of the day. On these devices, we’re greeted with a cluttered inbox, social media notifications galore, and an endless scroll of messages and click-bait articles lurking around every corner.

It’s no coincidence that the stream of new content in an app or on social media is called a feed – we’re constantly being fed controversially relevant information. In our personal life or at work, the situation is the same – especially now that remote work is becoming more and more popular.

To avoid becoming one of the many sources that “feed” employees irrelevant information, employers should consider personalizing their messages.

Personalization is one of the characteristics of two-way communication. It encourages responsiveness and feedback by speaking directly to the employee rather than the entire organization. Its other important use is to prevent employees from wasting their time reading unrelated information because the sender might not bother to address it to the right people.

Therefore, two-way communication creates a way to make relevant information more accessible and clearly recognizable while reducing information overload.

Job satisfaction depends on open two-way communication

Employee turnover is a costly problem for companies around the world and is inextricably linked to job satisfaction.

It’s only logical that people who are dissatisfied with their job are constantly looking for new opportunities. A survey by the Society for Personnel Management shows that “respectful treatment of all employees at all levels” is the most important factor influencing employee satisfaction. This is further supported by Gallup’s study of 7,272 American adults, which indicates that managers are the top culprits behind employees quitting their jobs. Apparently the popular sentence “People leave managers, not companies” is true.

The study shows that one of the things employees value most about managers is their approachability and commitment to daily communication. According to our statistics, people want to feel like they are part of the team and that their contributions matter. The best way to make this possible is through communication.

Two-way communication is a key element in building a fruitful work environment based on mutual trust. Not only does it prevent valuable employees from leaving, but it also boosts their performance by making them want to work instead of having to work.

Two-way communication breeds trust and loyalty in the workplace

According to a study by the Innsbruck University School of Management, trust and loyalty are the most important drivers of employee satisfaction. The authors of the study claim that trust and loyalty have a direct impact on the quality of performance due to their positive effects on motivation and morale. However, they point out that trust in management is not the only thing that matters, but also trust in colleagues, especially in more modern, team-based environments.

So the main question is: How do companies build this trust? Most leaders agree that effective internal communication is key to building a trusting work environment. However, a staggering 91% of employees believe their managers lack good communication skills.

Assuming that managers lead by example, this statistic implies that without a democratic attitude towards internal communication in the workplace, which comes from the top, it is impossible to foster trust and loyalty. This includes employees not only being able to express their opinions, but also actively listening and reacting to this feedback. Nothing breaks the illusion of open communication quite like a stack of unresolved employee complaints.

Two-way communication drives employee engagement

There is evidence that employee engagement leads to employee empowerment, higher retention rates, and higher profitability, among other things. It is strongly related to job satisfaction and depends heavily on trust and two-way communication at work.

Free and open internal communication leads to good relationships, shy expressions of opinion and thus to a continuous constructive dialogue that propels a company to new heights. Employees who work in a mutually supportive environment tend to have a personal investment in the company. This is then reflected in the attitude towards business partners and customers and directly influences the success and public opinion of the organization.

How to improve two-way communication in the workplace

Now that we’ve covered some of the key benefits, we’re going to explain exactly how two-way communication can be improved to ensure optimal results in the workplace.

Use the right communication channels

A big part of good communication is getting your audience, i. H. your employees to understand. Millennials are a good example of this. There’s still a mix of tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy generations in the workforce, but millennials currently make up the majority of the US workforce.

Millennials don’t like phone calls or face-to-face communication, according to Businesswire. Instead, they mostly prefer messaging platforms (55%), with a smaller percentage (28%) choosing email as their preferred mode of business communication. As a millennial, I can attest to that.

Instead of forcing an undesirable means of communication on employees, it would be more effective to make communication comfortable for employees by analyzing their preferences and meeting them on their own territory.

How internal communication software improves two-way communication

Most of us know the feeling of being stuck from a cluttered inbox and the frustration of not being able to find the information we need in those emails. No wonder, considering that according to some research, the average office worker receives 121 emails every day. Adobe even calculated that some employees spend more than five hours a day checking work and personal email — which is an absurd number.

While the use of email in business communications is unavoidable, one way to circumvent these problems is to use internal communications software. Internal communication software is built to mimic regular chat apps that most people use every day. As such, they encourage a freer and more informal way of communicating. This makes employees feel relaxed and more likely to share their thoughts and opinions with one another, promoting a healthy and unhindered flow of information within an organization. And unlike email, messaging is instantaneous.

One way Pumble, our internal communications software, encourages feedback is through the use of reaction emojis. Even if someone is short on time or isn’t sure how to verbally express their opinion, a simple reaction emoji can go a long way in encouraging people to speak up.

Respond to messages with emojis in Pumble

💡 Still unsure if emojis are a good idea for business communication? Check out our blog post that answers this very question.

personalize information

To better understand how personalizing information can improve two-way communication, let’s look at an example.

Imagine Joe.

Joe is a department head in an organization that primarily uses one-way communication to deliver news and updates to its employees. On any given day, about half of the emails he receives are subscription newsletters — and the rest are important contacts he needs to get back to.

Occasionally, Joe gets an email from his boss. These emails are usually sent to all employees and hardly ever have anything to do with his work. Joe opens email after email from his boss and finds nothing that worries him, so after a while he starts shuffling those emails with his subscription newsletters in the same “Irrelevant, might open later” pile throw. One day, Joe gets a call at his boss’s office, only to find that he was supposed to be attending a meeting with all the other department heads that morning and didn’t know about it because he hadn’t opened the email.

From a traditionalist’s perspective, the fault lies entirely with Joe. He received an email from his manager and it was his duty to open it as it might have contained something important. However, the focus here is on “could have been”.

Expecting employees to waste valuable time during their working hours reading emails that contain information unrelated to them and doing their work inappropriately and unproductively.

Being able to make sure in just a few minutes that the emails or channel messages in internal collaboration apps are addressed to the right people can make a big difference. It prevents other employees from being distracted by irrelevant information, ensures that the right people always get the message and makes the subsequent information exchange much more personal.

Tagging team members in Pumble

practice transparency

The way to an open and trusting working environment leads through communicative transparency. According to Michigan State University, the definition of transparency in communication is “the act of sharing information, both good and bad, up, down, and sideways in a way that all can see the why behind the words.” In her opinion, the advantages of transparent internal communication include:

Better collaboration

More creative innovation

Increased Confidence

More open communication

Free exchange of ideas

Better informed workplace

By being willing to be honest and transparent in their communications with employees, employers set an example and encourage employees to do the same. Transparency removes communication barriers and creates healthy internal communication that flows both ways.

Ensure leadership training

Leaders are the ones who are supposed to set an example for employees. Problems arise when people are promoted to managerial positions without proper training and who are expected to do an excellent job.

We are often told that someone is “a born leader,” but there is no such thing. Leaders have learned through experience how to lead. As Dave Jennings, WSJ bestselling author and author of The Pit of Success: How Leaders Adapt, Succeed and Repeat, put it well: “You’re not in your job because you have all the answers; You’re in your job because you have what it takes to find the answers.”

The best way to teach leaders how to be a leader is to teach them how to take advice, how to take criticism, and when to admit and admit you’re wrong. But in order to do this, the organization needs an environment that encourages such constructive feedback to your managers. So the first thing leaders should learn is to listen and take feedback.

practice empathy

One of the biggest mistakes employers make is setting unrealistically high expectations of their employees and expecting everyone to perform at their best at all times. But every person is a unique individual with their own life and chain of problems that they don’t just leave behind when they come to work. In fact, our personal lives often greatly impact our professional lives and inevitably impact our performance. Author and source of inspiration Simon Sinek talks about this in his lecture on leadership and empathy.

Two-way communication in the workplace helps employers understand their employees. It’s impossible to be friends with everyone in charge, but at least a basic level of interest and empathy with employees is necessary to build a trusting relationship.

Employers who know nothing about their employees are distant and tempted to view workers as machines. On the other hand, employers communicating with their employees might find out that someone’s child is ill or a family member has died and show understanding when that employee’s productivity drops. This kind of kindness can be much more effective in retaining employees than a raise.

give feedback

Most managers dislike giving feedback, but feedback is an essential part of employee development and it is necessary to build trust in an employee, along with a sense of direction for their work.

However, feedback should not just flow in one direction. Instead of framing the feedback in the form of a lecture or a list of points for improvement, frame it as a constructive discussion. Good feedback is a two-way conversation – changing the tone and nature of the feedback makes the session a more enjoyable experience.

Encourage feedback

In addition to the usual top-down feedback that most companies practice, any company dedicated to encouraging free and open internal communication should also encourage upward feedback.

Upward feedback is a sensitive issue in most organizations because it prompts employees to criticize their managers or bosses. Few, if any, are fearless enough to do this outside of exit interviews. But that’s it. Fear should have no place in an organization with a well-rounded internal communication system.

In fact, when all communication barriers are removed, an employer knows he has made two-way communication successful in his workplace. In such an environment, employees can communicate their thoughts and ideas without fear of being judged, reprimanded or, worse, punished.

Summary: Successful two-way communication is based on continuous dialogue

Building a successful internal communications system with two-way communications at its core is not rocket science. In fact, it’s more common sense based than one might think at first. The only difference is that employers, engrossed in their own business endeavors, tend to forget that the people who work for them are, well… people.

Two-way communication helps employers get a fresh perspective, and all it takes is a willingness to engage in both casual and professional dialogue.