How to Communicate Better and Smoothen Out Your Workplace Relationships

 The vital core to all relationships points to this - Communication. Likewise, since many working adults are spending as much or even more time at work than at home or with friends, our working relationships became a major part of our social life. 
 
Let’s break down and elaborate on the key points to improve communication and workplace relationships.
 
1.  Respect
While conversing with anyone, mutual respect should be there, be it to your colleagues, boss or even to a waitress in a restaurant. 
 
Words can be used as vicious weapons, which are often misused if they are used without consideration. Hence, learning tactfulness is pivotal to start conversing with respect.
 
While it is true that there are times when we need to be blunt, but in a professional working environment, being tactful and thinking before you speak, could often show respect and smoothen out many workplace relationships. 
 
           

2. Providing a Safe Feedback Space 
A Safe Feedback Space is a space where people are able to freely sort out misunderstandings and provide constructive feedback without feeling that their jobs or working life will be negatively affected. 
 
Do note that this space should be conducted with just the involved parties present. It should not be done together with uninvolved parties. This is to show that the intention of this feedback session is not to humiliate them.
 
In addition, it must be ensured that whatever is communicated in this room, will stay confidential. Hence allowing the parties involved to feel safe in voicing out their thoughts and understand each other’s perspectives to come to an agreement or compromise.​

3. Don’t Take Things too Personally
At times, in the moment of heat, we can be blinded by anger or pride causing us to lose our temper. Consequently, we may even feel regret very soon after. Or if not, we may bottle up our feelings without an outlet to let these negative feelings go. 
 
But let’s think about it this way. Whether you are right or wrong, it boils down to whether you see value in preserving this working relationship. 
 
Humans all fall short and have their own flaws. We are all still a work in progress; be it the leaders of the company or the employees working under them. 
 
Therefore, I firmly believe that everyone needs time to grow and learn. Forgiving one another’s mistakes and giving them chances are vital to keep a healthy working relationship.
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4. Practice, Practice and Practice
Without practice, and equipping ourselves with experience points, we will be like a warrior going to war without his armour. By applying what we learn consistently, we can then grow through our experience and confidence at the same time. 
 
No pain, no gain. Effort is the one that brings you the results, and time is the currency you have to invest for your relationship with your colleagues to grow. 
 
There will be many instances during work where you can practice communication, be it during your break times in the pantry or when you are working on the same project with your colleagues.
 
Some companies could also subsidize your communication skill courses to upgrade yourself! And not to forget team building activities to spend more quality time together which focuses on teamwork and bonding while also nurtures your communication skills.
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In Summary,

If you hold respect, accept constructive feedback, and continue practice communication by exposing yourself to more people, you will definitely improve! 
 
And not forgetting to forgive yourself and others when things don't go as planned. You don’t have to take everything too seriously, as life is a variable by itself, so why not go just with the flow? It is hard to avoid failures especially when we are dealing with the complexity and uncertainties of human minds in relationships. ​

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