A leader who wants to develop their communication skills needs to be able to use each of the communication quadrants effectively. This week I’m going to look in more depth at the skills needed to ‘Ask’ for feedback. This is where you are seeking collaboration with an individual or a group, but as the communication channels are invasive, (you are taking peoples time, knowledge and resource) care needs to be taken that you demonstrate respect.

Communication is at the heart of everything we do with each other and our ability to be able to do it well is critical however we often find communicating in our modern world challenging. The channels available to us are now numerous and we are bombarded with information and often feel overwhelmed. If you think about your own week you may be able to count a dozen different communication methods you used or people used to communicate with you. They can range from top down messaging like emails, newsletters, adverts, videos, town hall meetings, presentations, to collaborative messaging such as meetings, surveys, group messaging, video calls. There is an expectation that we are able to master all on these methods and more with our ability to be understood tied directly to our effectiveness.  

Think about the fact if you need to build resilience in your employees indicates you have a workplace where they need to survive, and when faced with survival we are focused on meeting our basic needs. The focus is definitely not on achieving a greater purpose or delivering results for the organisation, rather on protecting our own mental health and wellness. In fact, 45% of all Australians will suffer from a mental illness in their lifetime, so either you or someone in your family will be affected. On a personal level the impact of this will be on our families and how difficult it can be to overcome. 

Clusters that have collaboration, cooperation and challenge provide healthy eco-systems for companies to thrive.

At the annual research symposium on ‘networks in changing business ecosystems’ last week at Edith Cowan University that brought together partnerships that are happening around the globe in research and business with the focus on how to understand business ecosystems or clusters and how that can be used to support business communities to thrive.

Lost in Tokyo we had just arrived and were dragging suitcases around the streets trying to follow Google Maps and just couldn't figure out which way to go to get to the hotel.

Not an unfamiliar situation for tourists to find themselves in but after a long journey we were tired and irritable, just wanting to find our new temporary home.

When we think of conflict we picture people shouting and fighting.  Essentially the fight mode, however there is flight and freeze modes that often happen and these are just as damaging to our relationships and teams if not more so.  In any of the modes we are in when we get to the preservation stage of conflict all we care about is ourselves and our own values and beliefs.  We no longer care about the other person or even the purpose. 

Has a team within your organisation or the whole of your organisation gone through a trauma in the last 2 years?

Most organisations I work with report having a trauma of some sort effect their organisation in recent times like; redundancies, merger or acquisition of the organisation, along with bullying, disciplinary or grievance complaints or investigations. At the time of these traumas the focus is rarely on the health of the team but on staving off bankruptcy, reducing costs, value realisation or acquisitions or keeping compliant to protect from tribunal cases. After the dust has settled, business as usual continues, however the new reality isn’t the same as the old and so teams often become dysfunctional.

Working with HR Professionals from a number of different industries I find their concerns are all similar.  How can we ensure the organisation and ourselves are future fit and ready for all that Industry 4.0 has to bring?  

In the last 5 years a number of large companies have done away with their annual performance review along with ratings that are linked to pay and bonuses.  This is because, in general, the process is hated by all and instead of the desired results of commitment, purpose and improved performance it leads to disengagement, stress and constricts our openness to creativity and growth.