Why Silence is NOT Golden

There's an epidemic of silence going on at work that's costing companies millions of dollars. In terms of personal communication, people are getting super good at avoiding sticky conversations.

Most of us know at least one person (or we may be that person) who was fired and said, "I had no idea this was coming." Their response to being fired isn't about going on the defense, as a result of being let go. It's simply their truth.

According to workplace resource startup Braverly, a whopping 70 percent of employees are avoiding awkward conversations with their boss, colleagues, and direct reports. The fact that so many people are avoiding conversations is having a dramatic impact on the health and well-being of organizations and their employees!

Here's how:

New research from Joseph Grenny and David Maxfield, authors of Crucial Conversations conducted in 2016 found that every single conversation failure cost the organization $7,500 and more than seven workdays.

A July 2008 report published by CCP Human Capital, found that employees spend 2.8 hours per week dealing (or not dealing) with difficult situations, which amounts to approximately $359 billion on paid hours

Some people believe that silence is golden. I’m not one of those people.?

In fact, too many people have been silent for way too long. The result is needless discomfort around conversations that should be regularly happening at work.

I know what some of you are thinking.?

“That’s easy for you to say, Roberta. You’ve had years of practice handling difficult work conversations.”?

You’re right, which is exactly why I wrote my latest book,?Can We Talk: Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work .?

I’ve made my share of my mistakes (which I talk about in the book) and want to be sure you don’t do the same. This book will guide you through some of the more difficult conversations you will face throughout your career. I’ve even included scripts to help you dramatically improve your communication skills and to make these conversations more palatable.

Can We Talk?has officially been released, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Briefly, here’s what the book is about:

Avoiding uncomfortable conversations at work has grown into a full-blown epidemic and is costing organizations millions of dollars annually and impacting the health and welfare of workers. As a result, employee engagement and organizational trust are declining, and workers are?bolting?from their organizations in record numbers.?

Organizations need a strategy that won’t leave their employees feeling uncertain about handling the tough conversations and allows them to achieve the best possible outcomes, which this book provides.

This book is for you if:

• You’re an executive and you’d like to strengthen your organization’s ability to have difficult conversations.
• You’re a leader within a business and you’d like to learn how to have difficult conversations with your colleagues, supervisor, and team members.
• You’re an individual who wants to learn how to approach challenging conversations in the workplace with greater ease.

Click?here ?to order a copy, and if you do, I have a special offer for you.

I’m putting together a?private?event for those people who?purchase a copy of?Can We Talk,?prior to November 8th,?AND?post a review?on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or GoodReads. The session is called, “Ask Me Anything.”

You can ask me anything about leadership, communication skills at work, talent acquisition and retention, and even book writing. If you prefer, you can submit your question(s) in advance and if you’d like anonymity, this can be arranged.

The private Zoom session will take place on November 8th from 11:00 AM, EST to 11:45 AM and will be recorded. Just send me the link to your review and I'll put your name on the guest list.

And if you're looking for a?speaker ?for your next virtual or in-person event,?schedule a call ?with me to reserve your date.

?Here’s to breaking the silence and saying what needs to be said.

Talk soon!

Roberta