Communication

Make thoughts become words

It may seem trivial to say that communication is the basis of all efficient teamwork, yet, although we always talk a lot about communication, we often take it for granted. It is important to keep in mind that in order to be functional it must be effective and consistent. The thing we need to learn is how to turn emotions into words. In matters such as that of communication, openness of mind and flexibility of thought is very important. Communicating effectively means making sure that the message we want to transmit is correctly received by the recipient.

Communication and behavior

Communication is not in fact something distinct from behavior. Indeed, we can say that communication is behavior.

The purpose of Team Coaching interventions is precisely to make aware the motivational stimuli involved in communicative behaviors, as we often do not realize how we communicate, whether we do it well or not.

To do this, we use various brainstorming exercises: the participants are asked some questions related to the emotional sphere and, once the situation is outlined, they must express their reactions and emotions by using words.

Consciously or unconsciously, we often communicate in words opposite concepts compared to those realized with concrete actions.

In a company, as in real life, if communication is to lead to common action, the aim must be to align.

Communicate to share the same Vision, to tell and explain the common goal. Once that is identified, it is imperative to work together to find the way to achieve it. In relation to the Language of Leadership, one of the most important subjects of communication is, in fact, persuasion.

Business communication, depending on the type of public to which it is addressed, can be divided into two different types: internal or external.

If turned inward, it is aimed at informing, involving and motivating employees. Corporate communication aimed at an external public, on the other hand, pursues commercial and sales purposes. In both cases, however, it is important that it is clear, effective and persuasive.

The questions we ask ourselves

As soon as we detach ourselves from the idea that communication and language are always turned outwards, the first thing that comes naturally to us is that the first ones we communicate with are ourselves.

 

What do we communicate to ourselves and how does this influence our actions and feelings?

Some questions are more constructive than others. Often, however, the questions we ask ourselves are closed questions, whose biunivocal answer “yes/no” does nothing but generate uncertainty. It makes us swing like a pendulum between moments of conviction and moments of fear. We must always try to ask ourselves questions that guide us towards the realization of something.

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Put emotions into words

When we communicate, we don’t always realize how we do it. We are not fully aware of this. The most important thing to learn to express ourselves in a better way is how to give voice to our emotions.

To get your ideas across, use small words, big ideas and short sentences.
(John Henry Patterson)

Once we have expressed and discussed our emotions, we can proceed to create the conditions to communicate effectively in the workplace. The aim of our training will therefore be to make the team learn a new and better strategy.

Music and communication

The most useful metaphor for improving communication processes within the team is the musical one. In particular, since music is a universal language, a Corporate Orchestra activity is the ideal one. Music is in fact capable of making people communicate without the help of words. The rhythm, the tone, the speed convey the mood of the speaker “to speak” in a precise and understandable way to the listeners.

Music training has the advantage of canceling hierarchies. It is in fact an activity carried out in a circle, playing all together or in turn. The activity has two possibilities. On the one hand, learning a common rhythm stimulates the mutual listening ability, so important in team work. On the other hand, each participant in turn must propose an individual musical phrase, expressing their emotions. The others will “respond” with an identical or different rhythm, just like in a conversation.

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