Tag Archive for 'listening'

Planning for Healthy Dialogue …Not a Debate

Create a conscious plan for an important conversation that is already on your calendar. Or think of an important work relationship that you could improve with a good dialogue.

Dialogue Checklist

  1. What is my true purpose for wanting this conversation?
  2. How would I describe our current work relationship?
  3. How would I like to us improve it? Why is this important to me?
  4. Am I willing to really listen to this person, with an open mind?
  5. How am I curious about this person’s ideas and their experience of the work? The experience of working with me?
  6. On a scale of one to ten, how much do I trust this person at this time?
  7. On a scale of one to ten, how much can this person trust me?
  8. What do I need to share with them about me that could improve our work relationship? What am I willing to share about me as a person?
  9. Am I as open to being influenced by what they say as I am interested in persuading them?
  10. What else do I need to plan in order to make this a effective conversation?
    Timing? Neutral, mutually agreeable setting? Anything else?

Release Those Negative Emotions

The complementary actions of apology and forgiveness are profound. They accelerate the journey from conflict to cooperation by transforming the energy of negative emotions. Know you may need help with this. Start to gently use these powerful tools by applying them to conflict at your workplace.

Exercise #1

Listen respectfully next time a colleague or client tells a story of a past or existing workplace pain. If you truly feel sorry that they have had this painful experience, tell them. If appropriate, apologize on behalf of the organization, the profession. Or just as a fellow human being.

Exercise #2

Find a way to forgive (let go of the feelings that eat you up) anyone from your past or present work situation. This does not mean that you should excuse what they did or place condone the actions. Get a coach, advisor, therapist or trusted friend to help you do this.