The Power of Language - The Cost of Poor Communication in the Workplace

This article is the first installment in a series of 4, focusing on the Power of Language in Communication to celebrate Effective Communications Month, this June.

Each week I'll outline one way in which the Power of Language shapes our communication and affects our attention and actions and even helps us in our choices.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Oh the joys of teaching….

I was back to teaching grades seven and eight after being in grades eleven and twelve for 8+ years.?

To say "what a difference” is quite an understatement.? These "little ones" were a bit too street smart and had no quit in them.

Trust me, their reputation was well known.

The upper school students understood my rules generally:? do not walk around without permission; raise your hands if you have a question. We joke regularly, but when it’s time to work you work. You practice. You drill. You listen to songs and you learn.

Grade 7?? Oh boy. The concept of silence was a foreign language in itself.

And in their minds, boisterous frolicking was a requirement for learning.

As their teacher, I was frustrated and tried every trick in the book to get them to settle, all to no avail.?

Then two things happened.

1. I remembered a word I learned some time ago: adultification - the incapacity to see the world through a child’s eyes - and that stopped me cold. Did I forget what it was to be an 11 or 12-year-old child? I sure did.
2. I knew if I intended to successfully reach these students, I had to change my language to connect with them.

And these two truths changed my outlook as I taught a bunch of pre-teen children and more importantly to communicate with them.

So I learned that while I thought of myself as a great communicator, it really wasn't so.

Why So many of us are Such Poor Communicators

Linguists have always known why language is so powerful, but many of us haven't fully embraced the power that it holds.

Language is such an important lifeskill, both in school and in the workplace that you can do anything that you dream of yet the number one reason for our poor communication skills is: it's how we learned.

Think of it this way - you learned to speak by hearing others speak in your formative years. Did your parents take the time to sit with you and show you how to do x?

Or do you remember more times than you can count when a frustrated shout usually accompanied some instruction from them?

But on the other end of the scale is that hovering, overprotective parent, who thinks shielding you from all the bad in the world will keep you in Wonderland until you're an adult equipped to deal with the world.

Either way, your view of learning how to communicate gets warped.

This sadly leads to you not knowing how to effectively handle stressful situations when they do arise.

The word communication has been so overused that it's lost its power like a Tesla's fully charged battery stumbling down a busy highway- very little charge but not getting you anywhere.

But the thing about language is that it's the most powerful thing that any human can possess - yes, more powerful than money (Tinder Swindler anyone?).

And here's why:

Language is so powerful that:

• it inspires or discourages
• it unites or divides
• it heals or it hurts.

But more importantly, it allows us to effectively communicate with each other.

Communication? Again?

I know, I know, you've done the training and read the brochure so you know how to communicate in the workplace.

But do you really know how to communicate effectively at all?

If we've learned anything over the last 2.5 years it's that communications matter so if you're going to do it; do it well and do it right. We've used the written and spoken word more than ever before.

And the right language will help you get it right maybe not the first time, but definitely most of the time.

Whether you're communicating with your employees, your newsletter subscribers, or your children-

If you're unable to say what want to say clearly and explicitly, then Houston will forever have a problem.

Poor communication:

• wastes time and money
• causes stress
• is negative
• takes you nowhere

Clear communications:

• validates the other person
• builds productivity and growth
• is not complicated
• avoids confusion

As with anything in life, there are costs associated with having poor communication skills.

Let's take a look at some, shall we?

Poor Communications Weakens Influence

Absolutely nothing exists without words.

And if you favor the biblical account of how the world started, even then words were used by saying: "Let there be light!

And light appeared.

That's the Power of Language.

In the case of my 7th graders, it was a no-brainer: change my language -change their minds.

The words you use to describe things—to yourself and others—affect how both of you think and act.

It’s good to remind yourself that this powerful influence happens in all kinds of situations, and most certainly with language related to teaching and learning.

Ron Ritchart in his book: Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools, outlines 7 ways language shapes the culture of a classroom:

1. The Language of Thinking
2. The Language of Identity
3. The Language of Community
4. The Language of Listening
5. The Language of Praise and Feedback
6. The Language of Initiative

Interestingly, most of these same concepts can be applied to work, home, and any relationship where communication is used - which is in all relationships!

Good communications Tips:

1. Become more aware of the language you use every day.
2. Model active listening

Poor communication Distorts Unity

Did you hear it through the Grapevine?

So did I. And that's never the best way to learn about what transpires in your organization.

People choose sides.

Lines get drawn in the sand.

And absolutely nobody wins - not even your employer.

And when lines get drawn, very few cross them and people don't want to work together.

???? ?????????? = ???? ??????????????????????????.

How can any organism thrive when its lifeblood slowly peters out, sometimes sight unseen?

Good communications Tip:

1. Set aside time to address workplace concerns
2. Check in with your staff regularly
3. Establish successful communication learning strategies

Poor communication decreases personal connections

And it starts with mistrust.

Trust and commitment do not just happen; they are forged and maintained through effective communication.

We communicate every day. And these days between texts, email, and slack exchanges, everything is more upended, creating greater opportunities for misunderstanding between persons.

When Gallup conducted a survey recently, they found that only 39% of Americans felt that their employees communicated a clear plan of action in response to COVID-19.

On average, employees are?20 to 25% more productive?in organizations with effective internal communication in comparison with companies where employees are not?connected.

The influence of language on how we think, feel, and even behave can have an impact beyond the individual all the way to the social and economic lev

Good communications Tips:

1. Create an internal employee communication strategy

2. Practice active listening skills with your employees

3. Ensure your communications are fully aligned to what you want to accomplish as an organization.

Poor Communication Damages Experiences

Languaging uses words, and all of your experiences are packed into the words you use every day.

Because language is multidimensional our words and sentences have features and when you speak or write you capture the multi diversity of those features in what you output.

Just as your words can change behavior- you can strategically use language to give an awesome experience.

Take Disney for example.

I've never been, but I hear it's an unforgettable experience.

At Disneyland, you're not a client nor a customer, you're a guest and guests receive a special welcome, are treated like royalty, and eat from the best china (at least that's how our parents did it back in the day).

But do you see how language changes the experience for the other person?

Experiment with your language - change it up. When the UK Tax Council changed the language in their annual tax recovery letter, they recovered millions of pounds in lost taxes.

Erica Bagshaw said it best:

Words used poorly can create failure, disconnection and disengagement.        

If you're serious about changing the way your organization communicates, start there, start with the words, the sentences, and the language that's bound to affect every person under your command.

Good communications Tips:

1. Create unique words and expressions in your organization.
2. Be strategic with your languaging - let it make your culture unique
3. Avoid words or phrases that create a negative image in your business

The Last Word

If you learn to use language that empowers your colleague or your employee, you may find a shift in how the balance of power works.

When Carol Dweck wrote about Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset, she tapped into the psychological narrative that you must change to create the better life you're looking for.

Markku Allison wrote:

you need the right people in the room. Language has no power without the right people to hear the words

I eventually developed a rapport with my Grade 7 students where we understand each other. The language I use with some certain must be adapted for others.

So whether it's the board room, your website, or your last email, if it's not to the right person then it would have absolutely no meaning to them.

The language we speak, hear, and read, shapes our reality and it's not what you say, but what people hear.

Good communications Tips:

• Listen to the language of your colleagues and review the language used in your print and online materials.
• Practice giving specific, informative praise and feedback to your employers
• Empower your employers to solve their own challenges and problems,.

Over to You

What are your thoughts on the power of language and communicating effectively?

Please let me know in the comment section below.

And look out for Part 2 in the Series the Power of Language And Effective Communications which drops next week Wednesday, at the same time.

Please share this newsletter with your friends!