Charlotte Lane & Kyle Probert on How to Manage Workplace Conflict Like a Unicorn

Author: Jade Green
Published: Sun 28 Mar 2021
Episode Link: https://shows.acast.com/barrelsandbusiness/episodes/charlotte-lane-kyle-probert-on-how-to-manage-workplace-confl

People often mistake communication for talking.

When,actually, one of the best ways to improve your communication is by listening and listening to connect not just to respond.

In this episode, Kyle Probert from APT Training and Charlotte Lane dish on communication tips and tools that will bring your business to a whole new level. Charlotte is the communication queen who set up her copywriting business and is now transitioning into helping others find their voice and communicate better. She also provides advice to businesses — including Kyle’s and mine! — on how to better communicate with our teams and with clients.

Charlotte has many tips and tricks you can start using RIGHT NOW to improve communication within your team.

For example, did you know that being silent is also a form of communication, and one that can instantly flip the switch and allow you to control the conversation?

Silence doesn’t make you weak, in fact, it gives YOU THE POWER!

Have you ever felt like your words are not coming across as you meant them? Communication styles vary from person to person and even the mood they are in can influence things! Charlotte explains the main four communication styles according to the DISC classification, which is an awesome tool you can use to streamline your interactions with others.

Remember, you are the one that needs to ensure what you are saying comes across clearly and is understood. This requires you to understand how the other person communicates and as Kyle puts it, you need to be able to empathise with them as well.

A big part of communication is conflict resolution. Conflict and arguments are bound to take place at some point. This is not a bad thing! As Kyle points out, great innovation can come from conflict.

Sometimes, the members of your team are able to resolve the conflict on their own, but do you know how to mediate if the time comes? Charlotte explains more about the different scenarios that can take place according to the conflict styles of those involved and how to act to achieve a positive resolution.

At the end of the day, you need to be as informed as possible and you have to be able to understand your team. Plus, you need to make sure they can communicate with you and with each other. Unfortunately we aren’t mind-readers! But there are different personality tests you can use right now that can have a huge impact on how you and your team communicate.

Are you ready to become a master communicator? What are you waiting for? LISTEN NOW!

Key points

(00:00): Welcome to Barrels and Business!

(04:28): Communication and connection are not just about talking more but also about listening more.

(07:34): Listening is not the same as being passive. It’s the best way to learn more about a situation and get additional information that allows you to understand what the next step is.

(13:08): The person sending the message needs to make sure it is understood as it was intended. Sometimes, reframing the message is the best way to make sure the information truly landed.

(19:04): The type of medium used to communicate ideas matters. For example, someone who understands written information better would benefit from getting an email, while people who get it just by listening benefit from verbal communication.

(31:10): It is important to adapt to be able to get your message across. It is not about using special words or phrases, it is about keeping in mind the context and the receiver of the message.

(34:16): There are different communication stages when interacting with someone new. After the initial exploratory phase, there comes integration in which a relationship starts to build.

(40:07): The specific changes that can take place when a team or relationship is deteriorating or ending its time working together.

(43:49): Disagreeing with someone is not a negative thing, there can be constructive conflict that leads to a better way to do things. However, focusing on the end result is instrumental to achieve a positive resolution.

(52:50): Biases can play an important role in communication and encouraging those who know more but are often quieter than others can be instrumental to achieve significant developments and innovation.

(01:03:01): Negative communication can have a very detrimental effect on the entire team and bad consequences for the business overall. If this is coming from one team member, cutting the limb to save the body might be necessary.

(01:12:09): Introducing communication strategies to the team by setting it in a way that focuses on the benefits and positive results that will come from implementing these tools.

(01:16:15): It is important for the team to understand why different types of personalities are needed to run a successful business.

(01:20:31): As part of a team, managers often need to put their agenda on a box and put that box on the shelf. Shelving your agenda allows you to truly listen and be there for your team members instead of worrying about the bottom line.

Key takeaways & quotes

“Connection with the people around us is one of the most important things and this can only be achieved through communication.”
Creating connections in the workplace requires the environment to feel safe enough that everyone feels they can speak up and express themselves without fearing recrimination.
“When you are in a conversation and you’re the person who is silent, you actually have more power in that situation.”
Being able to have a conversation about how people within a team communicate can help to avoid misunderstandings.
Effective communication with an audience involves empathizing with them.
“There’s nothing wrong with conflict or disagreeing with someone. The best innovation comes from letting people argue in a constructive way.”
A mediator never takes sides. Their role is to synthesize what the actual issue is and make sure the rules of engagement are followed. Sometimes, more than one mediation instance is needed to reach an agreement.
Negative communication from one person can affect the entire team and lead to a bad workplace environment and business losses.
As a leader, getting feedback about how you communicate and come across can help you improve your communication style.

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