Technique to Remove Communication Barriers and Improve Interpersonal Communication in Workplace
Please prepare a response to the following post:
In the response, please discuss specific techniques (e.g., active listening, disclosure, feedback) that could be used to remove the communication barriers and improve interpersonal communication in the workplaces described by your peers. Use specific examples to support your assessment and explain how this technique would help remove the barrier to communication
After reading the article “Communications in the Workplace” I was very intrigued by the Johari Window.
Our company is divided into sales and operations. For a time, there was a major disconnect between the two departments due to improper communications. The barriers of different perceptions of the situation and ambiguity were at play. For example, the sales team assumed that once they turned in their order that the operations team would take over by simply copying them on a customer email and then washing their hands of the process. The operations team would not give direct or specific information regarding what the customer could expect. Using the Johari Window model, the Blindspots were that the sales team knew the customer expectations, but the operations team did not, and the operations team knew the scheduling difficulties and were not expressing them to the salesperson or customer.
The façade was that the salesperson would find out unwelcome news and not tell the customer and the operations team would know there was a delay and not tell sales. The unknowns come from vendors and contractors not communicating with our teams.
All these things created defensiveness, lack of response (fear of telling the truth or unwelcome news), and sarcasm. At one point there was an actual verbal altercation between two employees because they were taking jabs at each other via email.
We have made great strides in the last year to overcome this communication barrier by having a daily in person meeting at 8:15 a.m. to go over the schedule and upcoming jobs. Everyone has an opportunity to speak about how a job went, what upcoming jobs they have and client expectations. We can share information about vendor delays and scheduling issues.
We say email is the devil around here because too many things can be misconstrued or misinterpreted.
By having interpersonal conversations as a team, we have eliminated a lot of wasted time.
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I have often seen the issues mentioned in a professional context, and the Johari Window structure helps me understand and solve them. I applaud your team's proactive communication efforts, such as daily meetings. However, other tactics might improve communication skills and reduce misconceptions. Active listening is essential for connecting sales and operations. Active listening involves paying attentively, not interrupting, and responding thoughtfully (Jolaoso, 2019). If the operations team explains a delay, the sales team may demonstrate active listening by briefly restating their understanding and asking pertinent questions. This ensures a thorough understanding of the issue and allows for clear consumer communication. The disclosure also reduces blind spots and façades. This involves sharing thoughts, feelings, and...