A good relationship is based on good communication skills that build bridges of trust and respect. What does that mean, exactly? One corporate TALK2ME© training class didn’t parcel opinions: “What’s good communication? Treat others on the team how you would like to be treated. And treat your customers the same way.” So, do you treat others to your good attitude even when you’re having a bad day? Of course you do.
A BAD OUTLOOK ON COMMUNICATION
Empathizer (more sensitive) and Instigator (less sensitive) communicators are all about using good outlooks to create good moods and team unity to produce profitable results. However, an Empathizer leader may appear weak when…
• Giving too much credit without comparable performance
• Thinking only of the team instead of looking after #1
• Being self-doubting instead of self-confident
• Looking too much at emotional causes instead of active solutions to problems
• Allowing personal opinions (beliefs) to interfere with logic
• Allowing transient emotions to affect mood
• Permitting subordinates to manipulate leader sensitivities
• Projecting weakness by wearing emotions on his/her sleeve
• Struggling to have a strong individual opinion outside of team atmosphere
• Lacking self-motivation when stretched thin or stressed
• Showing appreciation in spite of negative actions
In particular, Empathizers feel strained and drained by these self-restrictive outlooks on life that reduce their productivity by 40%.
DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY CAN DO UNTO YOU…
Cynical “win at all costs” competitors die by using the motto: “I do unto others before they have a chance to do unto me!” Now, you know well enough how to build bridges of paranoia and disgust. Just make our problem my fault.
Dennis O’Grady, PsyD, is a Dayton clinical psychologist and corporate trainer who teaches powerful new communication tools using the TALK2ME© system. Reach Dr. O’Grady at 937-428-0724 or at www.drogrady.com.