Communication Tips at Work: Voices of Reason

#1: Don't be Afraid to Speak Your Mind, But Think About it First
Reacting hastily in a pressing situation can have disastrous effects. If something is really bugging you and it has bottled up, you are much better off thinking about how to deal with it until you cool down. Emotion is always present, but it can be suppressed to the point where it doesn't interfere with the results you want to achieve.

Going through the proper channels should be a relatively painless task that won't get you into trouble, after all, you should be able to speak your mind at work. If your superiors are not as rational as you and you can't get anywhere with them, you should consider moving on - but, not in haste! Follow my guidelines on a previous blog: "Rule #1 - Phase it Out!" (from June, 2009)

#2: Rumors and Hearsay Can be Avoided Through Direct Contact
The rumor mill has been and always will be in full operation at any place of work. People simply like to be 'in the know' ahead of others and at the expense of someone else's privacy. Information leaks happen even in the tightest-lipped workplaces and rumors give people something to talk about. Or, maybe there is a troublemaker who likes to spread false rumors because they think they are really funny, but they're just cruel.

Quell the rumors by approaching the person who started them and let them know the real story. If they are unreasonable and vindictive for no apparent reason, go to a superior and discuss the situation. You could also try to ignore the rumor until it goes away, but some troublemakers will probably spread more than one because they have something against you.

On one occasion years ago, I worked with a person who I rarely spoke with, but I wasn't 'in' with his crowd. He loved to say things behind my back and try to make my job miserable. I fought fire with water. I ignored him for the most part, but put up with his petty banter, did my work the best I could and maintained a pleasant demeanor every day. Eventually, everybody on staff knew who the one with the problem was. Oh, and I got promoted over him by just being nice and doing my job. I took it easy on him, though, but me being in charge of him was enough to keep him on his toes.

Laugh a little at the rumor if you hear it. Act as if it so ridiculous, it deserves to be laughed at, but then move on like you have better things to do. You will be seen as someone who doesn't put much thought into silly rumors and so you can't really be bugged.

#3: Put Out the Fires and Keep them Out
I once had the opportunity to supervise a person who had quit, then come back to work a while later. I took over his previous position and he became my helper. He had previously been against me and did a few rude things just to look cool in front of others. When he came back, I treated him like a pal and we got along great after that. I could have given him the worst jobs ever, but that was never my style - and, it would have made him miserable and created tension. Once the fire was out, I saw the benefit of keeping it out for good.

It's funny how the team changed and we were able to handle the most insane loads of work without me worrying about lazy people hiding in a room, shirking work.

By putting some forethought into tough situations and coming up with win-win solutions, one's work won't suffer because of insensitive co-workers who haven't got their mind fully on their work. Perhaps through these tips, they can learn to stop disrupting the process and join the team again.

- Buck Moore
thinkworknotjob.com