How Do You Communicate?

Are you a very different person in business than you are in your personal life?  How do you communicate personally when you feel threatened, or in a situation you don't control?  As a business owner, entrepreneur or manager, do you truly respond differently at work than you do with your significant other, child or friend?

We each have learned how to communicate as children from the examples demonstrated around us.  Some of them were positive role models, but some were very negative.  We may have chosen to take some of those styles on subconsciously, or chose to definitely avoid them and seek out a different way.  Either way, those communication styles stay with us and become ingrained in us, for better or worse.

Oftentimes we find our communication style "tweaked" along the way by interacting with others.  Our teachers or others in power roles over us may have taught us that speaking our mind was frowned upon, and so we shut down rather than expressing our feelings at all.  In the alternative, perhaps we felt forced to talk all the time, only to have our feelings negated or threatened.  Our response may have been the same, albeit learned in a different way.

How much education do we receive in quality communication styles or conflict resolution, yet we expect our employees to possess it?  We are expected by our customers to resolve their conflicts effortlessly, and to know exactly how to communicate in a style they're most willing to receive while expecting them to communicate in a style that doesn't offend us as well.

What communication style and channels do you offer those around you in your workplace?  In your personal life?  As an entrepreneur, have you analyzed how you resolve conflict in your organization and how to create a truly inviting environment that sees conflict as a means for growth and deepening loyalty? Perhaps it's time to "Evaluate How You Communicate", and offer your employees opportunities to explore different, more productive ways to resolve challenges when they arise.  Be the leader in creating healthy environments for self-expression and growth, and you'll see the dividends both in the short-term and long-term.