The biggest issue in the workplace that can possibly cause the decline in morale or create a tense environment could be lack of communication! It happens everywhere! Even here at the radio station..and we’re in the COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS!!!
Isn’t it frustrating when your boss asks you a question and you have no freaggin clue what the hell he or she is talking about? But wait….the person down the hall does!!!! Huh???
You would think shooting someone a brief email, leaving a Post-It Note that reads “hey come ssee me! I need to speak to you about something!” or a simple phone call would keep the lanes of communication flowing at the office. Unfortunately, in most cases or most work places, that’s not the situation!
We get overwhelmed with workloads and we communicate to people who simply walk by to ask “Hey! What’s up?”! That person may not even know or care about what’s going on with you because they’re too damn busy with their work. So what does your boss do? Tell them EVERYTHING and leave you out! (well…that may be alittle dramatic, but you get the picture)
Try hard to keep the lines of communication open between you and your co-workers and even your boss. Just so that you’re not caught off guard or automatically (without knowing) given the “bus driver” position when you drive that bus right over your co-worker.
Here are a few tips that just might help you out:
Learn to Listen
- Many conflicts occur between coworkers simply because they don’t listen to each other. For instance, you may decide that your ideas are better than your coworker’s before you fully hear him out. Even if your coworker has excellent ideas, if you come to the table with that attitude, you won’t really be listening. Listening to your coworkers, and not just waiting for your chance to talk, helps eliminate misunderstandings as well. It may be helpful, when the person is finished speaking, to paraphrase what he just said back to him. In this way, the coworker knows you were listening, and he can correct you if there was something you didn’t understand.
Learn How to Complain
- It’s possible that you and other coworkers have a valid complaint about another worker. For example, that worker may always come in late or often fail to complete a project when she says she will. Do not make these complaints personal, but keep them factual, especially if voicing your complaints to a supervisor. It is never okay to attack a person’s character or call her names. You should not, for instance, call your late coworker “lazy.” Simply state the problem: “Jennifer comes to work about 30 minutes late most days, and this is decreasing our productivity.”
Don’t Take it Personally
- A coworker who just got berated by his superiors or is having family problems is probably having a bad day. He may say something you think is rude or insensitive without even realizing it. Don’t make the situation worse by responding in kind. Try to ignore the comment, simply saying nothing in response. On the other hand, if this person berates you repeatedly, you may need to speak to him about how he is making you feel.
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You may also want to read this:
Communicationg With Co-Workers
