Open communication in the professional world

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

We all had these uncomfortable and insecure situations. How to say something that you feel insecure about? How to live respectfully open and honest communication and don’t treat it like a buzzword.

The last couple of years or decades we have the feeling that the job market is insecure and that we all must be happy to have a good job and the competition is so high. Like the insecurity is in our veins and we can’t say what we think or we just adapt.

Sure, we are fully aware of our borderlines and communicate as we want the people to communicate with us. However, how to not show up as a little sweet bunny? Below some of my thoughts.

1. Be clear about your expectations:

• How do you want your boss is? What should be his/her qualities? -> communicate
• What kind of team spirit do you like? (e.g. you like team members, who are open to meet frequently for after-work drinks)
• What kind of communication do you want to live? (regularly 1:1, team meetings)

2. Listen to the people:

• Before you talk as a waterfall, be curious about the others. Have you common interests? Do you find a topic that you always can talk about with this person? With this action you will get to know the people. About which topic they are talking without taking a breath? What challenges they have?

3. Don’t judge and have understanding.

• We all face challenges or have sometimes bad days. Try to put yourself in their shoes.

4. Give honest, respectful feedback with wisely chosen words. Say if you don’t like something. Don’t talk behind their backs.

This is one site of the coin. What when people mistreat you?

Reaction on an action is not always the best way. The golden rule is here: Listen first to what the person is saying to you and which words this person chooses. Try to not answer emotionally and if you can calm down and get out of the way, then do it. Take a few breaths and think with a rational mind.

If not, and you won’t say wrong words, which you will regret afterwards, then say this sentence:

“I’m shocked about what you said, so I’m speechless.”

It isn’t the point that the person is superior, and you are weak. The point is to better say nothing than something wrong, what you will regret afterwards or badly hurt somebody which never was your intention.

Try to let air out of the balloon. 😉