4.3 Case Study

[ MUSIC ] >>THE OFFICE, AN ENCLOSED SPACE WITHIN A BUILDING WHERE PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER.

FOR FIVE DAYS A WEEK, 48 WEEKS OF THE YEAR PEOPLE THAT START OUT AS STRANGERS COME TOGETHER FOR A COMMON PURPOSE.

THEY'RE OFTEN FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE OR DIFFERENT CULTURES.

THEIR PERSONALITIES ARE UNIQUE, THEIR EXPECTATIONS DIVERSE.

COMMUNICATING THEIR NEEDS, IDEAS AND PREFERENCES TO EACH OTHER IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.

[ BACKGROUND DISCUSSIONS ] IN THIS PROGRAM WE'LL BE TALKING TO THE MANAGER AND STAFF OF A SMALL WEB DESIGN OFFICE.

WE'LL SEE WHAT TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ARE REQUIRED AND WHO IS DOING THE COMMUNICATING.

WE'LL LOOK CLOSELY AT THEIR MEANS OF VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION AND WE'LL REVEAL SOME COMMON BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND WAYS TO OVERCOME THOSE BARRIERS.

[ MUSIC ] >> WE'RE A SMALL BUSINESS.

THERE'S ME, DAVID, THE OWNER AND MANAGER.

REKISH? THAT'S REKISH OUR DESIGNER.

JOEL? WHERE'S JOEL?

WELL THERE'S JOEL OUR PROGRAMMER AND THERE'S CARLA.

CARLA? AND THERE'S CARLA, HI CARLA.

CARLA IS OUR VERY PERSUASIVE SALES PERSON.

>>SALES CONSULTANT NOW.

>>SORRY, SALES CONSULTANT.

AND THAT'S THE TEAM.

SMALL, YES, EFFECTIVE, VERY.

DON'T FORGET THE NEW RULE, NEW RULES.

[ MUSIC ] >>COMMUNICATION IS THE TRANSFERRING OF INFORMATION BETWEEN PEOPLE.

THE TRANSFER INVOLVES TWO STAGES, THE COMMUNICATION ITSELF AND THE INTERPRETATION.

GOOD COMMUNICATION HAPPENS WHEN THE TRANSFER IS HARMONIOUS AND BOTH THE CONVEYOR OF THE MESSAGE AND THE RECEIVER UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND ARE HAPPY WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN AN OFFICE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO SHARE SPACE AND ACHIEVE GOALS TOGETHER.

[ MUSIC ] >>COMMUNICATION IS IMPERATIVE, IT'S PART OF MY PROGRESSIVE STYLE OF MANAGEMENT.

IT'S BASED ON WHAT I CALL THE THREE C'S, CARE, CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GET TO THE MCGONAGLE ACCOUNT.

I HAVE THE DESIGN...

>>ONCE A WEEK, EVERY MONDAY, WE HAVE A TEAM MEETING WHERE WE LOOK AT WHAT'S ON IN THE WEEK AHEAD AND EVERYONE GIVES A REPORT.

AND THEN WE HAVE A QUICK, WELL I CALL IT THE GRIPE SESSION, WHERE WE GET TO SAY WHATEVER IS ON OUR MINDS ABOUT ANY ISSUE, INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] SO ANY GRIPES TODAY?

ANYONE WANT TO GET SOMETHING OFF THEIR CHEST?

JOEL? ANYTHING BUGGING YOU?

ANYONE?

>>CAN WE HAVE A BOARD WHERE WE WRITE WHERE WE ARE IN THE DAY?

SO IF SOMEBODY GOES OUT, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE OUT, WHEN THEY'RE COMING BACK, WHAT TIME SO IF I NEED TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY I CAN PLAN MY DAY.

>>WELL, WHAT DOES EVERYONE THINK OF THAT?

>>IT MIGHT BE HARD TO MONITOR.

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THAT USEFUL TO US WRITING DOWN ON A BOARD EVERY TIME WE LEAVE THE OFFICE.

I MEAN, IF WE'RE JUST GOING OUT FOR A COFFEE FOR FIVE MINUTES THEN I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY NECESSARY TO ANNOTATE THAT ON A BOARD.

>>EVER THE OPTIMIST.

LET'S TRY REKISH'S IDEA AND THEN SEE, HMM?

ALL IN AGREEMENT?

GOOD.

>>COMMUNICATION METHODS ARE AS VARIABLE AS PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

THERE ARE ENDLESS WAYS TO GET MESSAGES ACROSS.

THERE ARE ALSO SUBTLE WAYS OF COMMUNICATING WHICH ARE NEITHER VERBAL NOR WRITTEN, THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE BODY LANGUAGE, ARRANGEMENT OF THE WORKING SPACE.

>>WHERE'S JOEL, RAKESH?

>>AND THE MANNER IN WHICH FACILITIES ARE SHARED.

[ TELEPHONE RINGING ] >>HELLO, CIRCUMFERENCE WEB DESIGNS, THIS IS CARLA SPEAKING, HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

YES, YEP, YEP, JUST GIVE ME ONE MOMENT AND I'LL JUST BRING IT UP A QUOTE FOR YOU.

>>GOOD COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE FOSTERED INTERNALLY AMONGST EMPLOYEES AND EXTERNALLY WITH CLIENTS, CUSTOMERS, SUPPLIERS AND ANY OTHER ENTITIES THE BUSINESS DEALS WITH.

>>... TO UM, GET YOU A QUOTE, AND I'LL DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU.

COMMUNICATION IS THE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION BETWEEN PEOPLE OR ENTITIES.

IT INVOLVES TWO IMPORTANT FACTORS, THE COMMUNICATION OF A MESSAGE AND ITS INTERPRETATION.

COMMUNICATION CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH MANY METHODS INCLUDING THE VERBAL, WRITTEN AND VISUAL MODES.

[ MUSIC ] >>HELLO, CIRCUMFERENCE WEB DESIGN, REKISH SPEAKING, HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

YES, CIRCUMFERENCE WEB DESIGN, HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

WHEN I WAS TRAINING FOR MY MASTERS IN I.T. IN INDIA, I WORKED AT A CALL CENTER AND WE WERE TAUGHT HOW TO ANSWER THE PHONE CORRECTLY BY ASKING HOW MAY I HELP YOU , GIVING YOUR NAME WHEN YOU ANSWER THE PHONE, WRITING DOWN THE PERSON WHO'S CALLING YOU, LISTENING TO THE PERSON SO YOU CAN HELP, ALWAYS BEING VERY POLITE AND SMILING.

IF YOU SMILE, YOU CANNOT BE UNHAPPY.

WWW.CIRCUMFERENCE.COM, THAT'S C I R C U M F, M, M FOR MOTHER, F, F FOR FROG...

>>I MEAN I ALWAYS FIND IT HELPFUL IF YOU ANSWER THE PHONE AND CHOSE A COLOR TO BE, A HAPPY COLOR OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW HOW MANY COLORS THERE ARE?

THREE. THREE COLORS, RED, BLUE AND, RIGHT, NO, YELLOW...

>>FROM VERBAL COMMUNICATION TO BE EFFECTIVE IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR AND APPROPRIATE TO THE CONTEXT.

>>CIRCUMFERENCE WEB DESIGN.

>>BUT CLARITY DOESN'T ALWAYS COME NATURALLY TO PEOPLE.

>>BUT CLARITY DOESN'T ALWAYS COME NATURALLY TO PEOPLE.

>>YES? HELLO?

>>OR SOME MAY AVOID SPEAKING ALTOGETHER.

>>IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.

LIKE YOU CAN BE PRETTY INFORMAL IF YOU'RE JUST TALKING TO A FRIEND BUT IF IT'S LIKE A MEETING WITH A CLIENT OR WITH THE BOSS, YOU DO HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMAL.

AND THEN YOU CAN BE EVEN MORE FORMAL IF YOU'RE DOING A POLITICAL SPEECH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT IT'S NOT LIKE I EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

>>NOT EVERYONE IS BLESSED WITH THE ABILITY TO SPEAK WELL.

I KNOW THAT.

SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST VERY QUIET, LIKE JOEL.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF TRAINING AND I ENCOURAGE MY STAFF TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES.

THAT'S WHY WE HAD THIS MADE UP.

IT'S IN FRONT OF EACH STAFF MEMBER'S DESK.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF, HI, I'M DAVID.

LISTEN, WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO SAY?

IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, ASK QUESTIONS.

MAKE YOUR POINT, DON'T WAFFLE, THINK, WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY?

>>JOEL, JOEL, HELLO, CIRCUMFERENCE WEB DESIGN, THIS IS CARLA SPEAKING.

YEAH, YEAH, JUST GIVE ME ONE SECOND, I'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU.

SORRY. YEAH, CAN- I'LL JUST BRING THIS UP FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

>>VERBAL COMMUNICATION IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE EMOTIONS CAN BE EASILY CONVEYED ALONG WITH THE WORDS WHICH MAY CHANGE THE MEANING COMPLETELY.

THIS CAN BE A DISADVANTAGE IF THE SPEAKER IS ANGRY, UPSET OR ANXIOUS.

>>YEAH, THAT'S BLUE AND YOU LIKE THAT?

>>ON THE OTHER HAND, WARMTH AND SINCERITY CAN ALSO BE CONVEYED BY THE SPEAKER.

HELPING PEOPLE TO RELAX AND BE MORE RECEPTIVE TO THE WORDS.

>>YES, YES, OKAY OF COURSE.

>>UM, DAVID, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR LUNCH BREAKS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING.

>>YEAH.

>>IT'S JUST A PROBLEM THAT I'M HAVING IN THE OFFICE AT THE MOMENT IS THAT IF I TAKE A LUNCH BREAK AWAY FROM THE OFFICE THE PHONES JUST DON'T GET ANSWERED AND LIKE, JOEL DOESN'T ANSWER THEM AND...

>>VERBAL COMMUNICATION CAN ALSO BE UNPREDICTABLE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SPONTANEOUSLY.

IDEAS NEED TO BE RELAYED IN REAL TIME AND THOUGHTS ARE INSTANTLY TRANSLATED INTO SPEECH.

IT IS THEREFORE EASIER TO LOSE CLARITY IN SPOKEN LANGUAGE THAN IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.

>>YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?

>>YEAH, YEAH, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY IS THAT YOU THINK IT'S UNFAIR.

>>YEAH.

>>YEAH.

>>VERBAL COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO BE CLEAR AND APPROPRIATE TO THE SITUATION.

TYPES OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION RANGE FROM PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS TO FORMAL SPEECHES.

AN IMPORTANT ADVANTAGE OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION IS THAT THE SPEAKER CAN CONVEY WARMTH OR SINCERITY BUT THIS CAN ALSO BE A DISADVANTAGE IF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS ARE DRIVING THE COMMUNICATION.

GOOD COMMUNICATORS TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN, ASK QUESTIONS, FORMULATE THEIR INTENTIONS AND SPEAK CLEARLY.

[ MUSIC ] >>IT'S GOOD REKISH.

>>RE- KISH .

>>UM-HUM. BUT IT'S A BIT OVER THE TOP.

A BIT SCHMOOZY.

>>YOU SAID MAKE IT FRIENDLY.

>>YEAH, THIS IS TOO FRIENDLY.

MAYBE ASK CARLA FOR SOME HELP, HMM?

HMM.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>PLAIN ENGLISH IS THE COMMON STYLE OF WRITING THAT BUSINESSES ADOPT FOR COMMUNICATING.

[ MUSIC ] IT TENDS TO BE NATURAL, PERSONAL, POSITIVE AND READER FOCUSED.

[ MUSIC ] >>YEAH, YEAH THIS IS MUCH BETTER.

MORE NATURAL ISN'T IT?

>>IN WRITING, IT IS NOT EASY TO ACCURATELY CONVEY EMOTIONS AND INTENT.

THEREFORE, THE TONE OF THE TEXT MUST BE CONSIDERED IF THE MESSAGE IS TO BE INTERPRETED CORRECTLY.

AN EMAIL SENT TO A NEW CLIENT SHOULD ALSO BE PROFESSIONAL BUT IS LIKELY TO CONTAIN SOME WARMTH OR FRIENDLINESS CONVEYED THROUGH THE TONE.

SOMETIMES COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO WRITTEN FORM FOR PROCEDURAL OR LEGAL REASONS.

>>I ALWAYS KEEP EMAILS FROM CLIENTS.

EACH CLIENT HAS A FOLDER AND GENERAL INQUIRIES ARE FILED ACCORDING TO THE MONTH.

YOU HAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY'LL SAY, OH WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THESE OR WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT AND SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A WRITTEN RECORD.

>>EMAILS ARE GOOD BECAUSE THERE ARE NO ACCENT PROBLEMS.

SO EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND ME.

ALSO SOME OF OUR CLIENTS AND SUPPLIERS ARE FROM OVERSEAS SO THERE'S A TIME DIFFERENCE TO CONSIDER.

WE USE INSTANT MESSAGING ON THE INTERNET.

IT'S SO EASY.

>>AND WITH EMAIL YOU CAN SPEND MORE TIME GETTING IT RIGHT, LIKE GETTING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.

AND IT'S GOOD IF YOU WANT TO SEND A SHORT MESSAGE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY CALL THAT PERSON AND TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER OR WE HAVE A LUNCH OR, YOU KNOW, YEAH.

>>BUT THERE CAN BE DELAYS.

WHEN YOU EMAIL SOMEONE THEN YOU WAIT 24 HOURS AND THEN THEY ASK YOU A QUESTION AND THEN YOU ASK THEM A QUESTION.

>>I LIKE TO USE THE PHONE.

I LIKE TO GIVE PERSONAL SERVICE.

>>THERE IS A DISADVANTAGE TOO, BECAUSE, I MEAN, EMAIL CAN BE MISREAD.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T READ THEM PROPERLY OR THEY MISINTERPRET THE TONE, SO.

[ MUSIC ] >>WITH TECHNOLOGIES LIKE MOBILE PHONES AND EMAIL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IS OFTEN ABRUPT AND SPELLING IS ABBREVIATED.

THIS IS APPROPRIATE BETWEEN FRIENDS BUT NOT FOR WORK PURPOSES.

LIKEWISE, TEXTING ABBREVIATIONS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN WORK EMAILS.

[ MUSIC AND RINGING TELEPHONE ] >>HELLO, CIRCUMFERENCE WEBSITE DESIGN, THIS IS CARLA SPEAKING, CAN I HELP YOU?

HI, NO I JUST TOLD YOU I WAS TIRED.

YEAH, OKAY, OKAY.

>>THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION INCLUDING LETTERS, ADVERTISEMENTS, NOTICES, REPORTS, EMAILS AND SMS MESSAGING.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IN THE OFFICE NEEDS TO CLEAR, CONCISE AND FREE FROM GRAMMATICAL AND SPELLING ERRORS.

THE TONE MUST BE APPROPRIATE AND WILL DEPEND ON THE MEDIUM USED AND THE SIZE OF THE INTENDED AUDIENCE.

UNLIKE ORAL COMMUNICATION, THE WRITTEN WORD IS MORE OFFICIAL, CAN BE STORED FOR REFERENCE AND IS OFTEN MORE CONCISE.

HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO BE IMPERSONAL AND MISINTERPRETED.

[ MUSIC ] >>HAVE YOU CHANGED THE STATUS OF YOUR AVAILABILITY?

[ MUSIC ] >>OH, REKISH, DAVID HASN'T CHANGED HIS STATUS AND HE'S OUT.

>>REALLY?

>>REALLY.

[ MUSIC ] >>I'M A STRICT VEGETARIAN.

I DON'T EAT MEAT.

I DON'T LIKE THE SMELL OF MEAT.

ACTUALLY IT MAKES ME FEEL SICK.

I DON'T TELL HER BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE PROBLEMS.

>>GOOD COMMUNICATION INVOLVES UNDERSTANDING.

>>UGH.

>>THIS ISN'T ALWAYS EASY AMONG STRANGERS WHO MAY HAVE COME TOGETHER FROM VERY DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.

EXPECTATIONS VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE KITCHEN.

>>WHAT IS THERE TO TALK ABOUT?

>>REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IS ONE WAY TO KILL COMMUNICATION.

WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH SOMEONE BUT NEGATING THEIR FEELINGS BY IGNORING THE PROBLEM IS A SURE WAY OF EXACERBATING IT.

>>REKISH, IT'S NOT EVEN MY MESS.

[ SILENCE ] >>OTHER BARRIERS INCLUDE FILTERING OUT OR REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, SELECTIVE PERCEPTION, CHANGING THE TOPIC, SPEAKING OVER THE TOP OF SOMEONE AND DIAGNOSING THE ISSUE FOR THE OTHER PERSON.

>>IT'S INEVITABLE, ISN'T IT?

I MEAN, PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE THEIR PERSONALITIES BEHIND WHEN THEY COME TO WORK, OR THEIR PROBLEMS.

WE'VE ALL HAD DAYS WHEN WE FEEL A BIT UNDER THE WEATHER, WE'RE GRUMPY, MIGHT BE PROBLEMS GOING ON AT HOME, PROBLEMS WITH THE LOVE LIFE.

I LIKE MY STAFF TO FEEL THAT THEY CAN COME TO ME.

THAT'S WHY I HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY.

[ MUSIC ] ALWAYS OPEN.

ANYTIME, ANY PROBLEM, NO PROBLEM.

IT'S PART OF MY PROGRESSIVE STYLE OF MANAGEMENT.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, BOYFRIEND TROUBLE.

...BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE ACTUALLY.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?

>>FINE.

>>IF YOU DON'T MIND ME SAYING, YOU DON'T LOOK FINE.

THERE'S BAGS UNDER YOUR EYES, PUT ON A BIT OF WEIGHT, I MEAN, NO ONE ELSE WOULD NOTICE OF COURSE, I'M JUST PERCEPTIVE.

>>I'M FINE.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>WELL, SHE'S CLEARLY NOT FINE.

BUT I DON'T THINK I DID ANY DAMAGE THERE, IT'S ALL IN THE INTONATION, ISN'T IT?

ALL IN THE VOICE, HOW YOU SAY THINGS.

>>ONE BARRIER TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS NOISE.

INTERNAL NOISE REFERS TO WHAT THE COMMUNICATORS BRING TO THE SITUATION.

THERE MAY BE PERSONAL PRECONCEPTIONS OR MISUNDERSTANDINGS GETTING IN THE WAY SO THAT THE MEANING OF THE WORDS IS CONFUSED BY THE EMOTIONAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL SIGNALS BEING TRANSMITTED.

>>SHE'S CLEARLY NOT FINE.

>>DID YOU WANT A LINK THROUGH TO YOUR OWN PAGE?

YES?

>>EXTERNAL NOISE OCCURS IN THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE COMMUNICATION IS TAKING PLACE.

IT CAN BE CAUSED BY AUDIBLE SOUNDS OR BY OTHER DISTRACTIONS GOING ON IN THE SPACE.

SEMANTIC NOISE CAN RESULT WHEN A PERSON'S STYLE OF VERBAL EXPRESSION IS UNUSUAL MAKING THEIR MESSAGE UNCLEAR TO THE LISTENER.

REPETITION, ACCENTS, PROFANITY OR POOR CHOICE OF WORDS CAN LEAD TO CONFUSION OR CONFLICT.

>>BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION INCLUDE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, EMOTIONS, BODY LANGUAGE AND VERBAL INTONATION.

SOME COMMON COMMUNICATION KILLERS INCLUDE NEGATING SOMEONE'S FEELINGS, SELECTIVE PERCEPTION, REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, CHANGING THE TOPIC AND DIAGNOSING THE ISSUE FOR THE OTHER PERSON.

[ MUSIC ] BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION CAN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERCOME AND THE LONGER THEY ARE IGNORED, THE WORSE THE TEND TO BECOME.

IN AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT IT IS IN THE MANAGEMENT'S BEST INTEREST TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF GOOD COMMUNICATION AND TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS AS THEY ARISE.

>>ALL RIGHT, GOOD BYE.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] [ MUSIC ] AND I HAD TO START WITH SOME BAD NEWS.

JOEL CAME TO ME ON FRIDAY NIGHT, HE HANDED IN HIS RESIGNATION.

NOW I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE HE ASKED ME TO.

IN HIS WORDS HE'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CLINICAL DEPRESSION, HE'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF WORK AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH HIS FAMILY.

NOW WE WILL HAVE TO FIND A NEW PROGRAMMER BUT BEFORE WE DO I WANT TO CLEAR THE AIR, OKAY?

IF ANYONE ELSE IS DEPRESSED, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT OKAY?

NOW I KNOW THIS IS PRETTY BIG NEWS SO YOU GUYS FEEL FREE TO SIT HERE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, DIGEST IT, I'LL BE IN MY OFFICE IF YOU NEED ME, OKAY?

OKAY?

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>DID YOU KNOW?

>>PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO SPEAK HONESTLY WHEN AN OPPORTUNITY IS GIVEN TO THEM.

IS IT ESSENTIAL THAT EVERYONE FEELS THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK AND TO BE HEARD.

ACTIVE LISTENING TO OTHERS WITHOUT DEFENSIVENESS OR JUDGMENT ALLOWS US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS.

>>YEAH, LOOK I'LL DO IT, I'LL FIND TIME.

I SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND SOME TIME THIS AFTERNOON TO SQUEEZE THAT IN.

>>BECAUSE IT'S A BIG JOB.

>>I KNOW BUT, I MEAN WE'VE ALL GO TO PULL TOGETHER, IT'S OKAY.

>>OKAY, THANK YOU.

>>ALL RIGHT.

>>EXPECTATIONS SHOULD BE CLEARLY DEFINED.

WHAT DO WE EXPECT FROM OTHERS?

AND WHAT DO WE EXPECT FOR OURSELVES?

MANAGEMENT SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS WORKING TO THE SAME AGENDA.

WHEN CONFUSION ARISES IT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH OPENLY AND FAIRLY.

WE SHOULD RESPECT PEOPLE'S SPACE AND BE SENSITIVE TO THEIR MOODS.

THERE COULD BE MANY REASONS WHY SOMEBODY IS UNHAPPY AND WE NEED TO BE ALERT TO BODY LANGUAGE AND OTHER NONVERBAL CLUES.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>CARLA, WE'VE GOT THE MONTHLY REPORTS BACK...

>>CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE KEPT OPEN WITH REGULAR MEETINGS AND ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS.

A FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO COMPANY INFORMATION WHERE POSSIBLE ENSURES THAT PEOPLE FEEL INCLUDED AND VALUED.

[ BACKGROUND NOISE ] >>CIRCUMFERENCE WEB DESIGN, DAVID WILSON SPEAKING.

YES. OH, NO NO, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, YES.

LOOK WHY DON'T YOU JUST EMAIL THROUGH THE SPECS FOR THAT AND I'LL GIVE IT TO ONE OF OUR COMPETENT TEAM.

I DON'T EXPECT MY STAFF TO ANY JOB THAT I WOULDN'T DO MYSELF.

SURE I'M THE BOSS.

I'M THE ONE THAT PAYS THE BILLS BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME A GOD.

I'M A PART OF THE TEAM.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE MANAGEMENT'S AT THESE DAYS, IN GENERAL.

>>IT'S SAD THAT JOEL LEFT BUT, WHAT'S EVEN SADDER IS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT HIS DEPRESSION.

I MEAN, HE WASN'T EXACTLY CHEERFUL BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ANYTHING WAS WRONG.

HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE SOMEONE'S HEAD?

>>RIGHT NOW I'M MAKING A NEW SIGN FOR WEBSITES IN PROGRESS SO THAT EVERY JOB WE HAVE IS WRITTEN ON A BOARD AND WE CAN SEE AT WHAT STAGE IT IS COMPLETED.

IT WILL BE EXCELLENT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BUSINESS.

GOOD COMMUNICATION MAKES FOR HAPPIER EMPLOYEES AND A MORE PRODUCTIVE BUSINESS.

SOME SIMPLE WAYS OF OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION ARE GIVING PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK USING ACTIVE LISTENING TECHNIQUES, ASKING QUESTIONS, CLARIFYING EXPECTATIONS, WORKING TO THE SAME AGENDA, BEING SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS, BEING ALERT TO BODY LANGUAGE, ENCOURAGING THE FLOW OF INFORMATION AND ENCOURAGING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.

[ MUSIC ] >>LIKE ANY WORKING ENVIRONMENT, THE OFFICE IS AN ARENA WHERE COMMUNICATION IS CONSTANTLY TAKING PLACE.

UNDERSTANDING THE NUANCES OF DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION MODES HELPS AVOID CONFLICT AND LEADS TO HARMONIOUS OUTCOMES.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT EACH OF US CAN FOSTER AND DEVELOP IN OUR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES.

[ MUSIC ]