Improving Communication and Resolving Conflict at Work

September, 2017
Can you hear me now?   Communication is a vital part of business.  It occurs between managers and direct reports; co-workers, customers, vendors, suppliers – anyone interacting with the organization.  Have you ever wondered how effortless it was to interact with some coworkers and yet how you might struggle to stay on the same page with other colleagues? 
Conflict can be caused by an endless list of factors:  differences in opinion, misinterpretation or miscommunication, differing goals, contrasting priorities, resentment, personality differences and lack of transparency are just to name a few.  How do you approach conflict?
Understanding behavior styles can help us improve our work relationships and reduce conflict.  Everyone is different but there are common traits and behaviors in our dominant styles.  Did you know that there were  four dominant behavior profiles and each comes with a different communication style?  Learning about our differences helps us understand WHAT we do and WHY we do it.  We can learn about behavior styles through DISC.  DISC is the acronym for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance, the names of the dominant behavior profiles.  Here are some tips...
Communicating with a High D:
People who are high in Dominance are focused on tasks.  They like facts, brevity and logic.  So when talking to them stick to business - Be brief and to the point.  Come prepared with all requirements, objectives, and facts.  Be well organized. Provide facts about the probability of success or effectiveness.
Communicating with a High I:
Those high in Influence love to talk and be social, finding connections with others.  They are focused on relationships.   Allow time for relating/socializing to build a favorable and friendly environment.  Give them the opportunity to verbalize their ideas and thoughts.  Provide ideas for implementing action,
Communicating with a High S:
People who score high in Steadiness are usually calm, and are great peacemakers in the workplace.  These folks are people-oriented.  Express a genuine interest in them as a person.  Patiently draw out their personal goals and ideas.  Listen and be responsive.  Provide clarification for tasks and ask specific “how” questions.  If a decision is required, allow them time to think.
Communicating with a High C:
People with high Compliance tendencies are all about the task and getting it perfect.  Prepare your case in advance.  Approach them a straightforward way.  Support statements with accurate data and facts from trusted resources.  Be patient and diplomatic.
These are just a few quick tips to better communications.  Understanding your own personal style and how to identify others’ styles is the first step to resolving and preventing interpersonal conflicts. Once you understand where another person is coming from you can begin to look for common ground. 
Interested in learning more about DISC and how it can be used at work and at home?    Reach out to us to learn more!