16 Sep Communication Ground Rules

Imagine how much stress could be avoided at work, if everyone around you did what you want, to the agreed standard, within the agreed time frame without fuss, confusion, resentment or argument.

If you have a set of communication standards in place across your entire business, it becomes much easier to get things done without relationships being irreparably damaged. Or, if things aren’t done, it can be dealt with calmly and in a way that is fair and reasonable.

Here is a set of communication standards we recommend are included in a new employee induction pack. It lays the ground rules for how all employees are expected to communicate at work.

1. Listening

When intelligence and ideas are shared between employees and managers, and all parties have a mutual understanding of what is expected, the whole business benefits. To achieve this, all team leaders will be trained in the use of rephrasing. There are two types:

• The speaker may ask for their message to be rephrased, or summarised in the listener’s own words;

• The listener may choose to rephrase the message they heard in their own words.

In both cases, the purpose of the exercise is to ensure that a verbal message has been understood.

You have the right to ask a team leader or manager to rephrase an important message, and they have the same right when communicating with you.

2. How we ensure verbal directions are reliable

Team leaders will be trained to give critical instructions using a specific technique. It is designed to reduce confusion and ensure that people are clear about what they are being asked to do.

The technique consists of:

• Who is responsible for the task (‘Steve, I’d like you to . . .’)
• What the task involves (‘. . . clean the bar down. That means restocking the fridges and cleaning them out, cleaning the bench-tops, covering the garnishes and putting them away where they belong, emptying the ice well and cleaning it out, emptying the bins and removing the bar mats.’)
• The deadline for the task (‘I’d like that completed by 4pm, please’)

You may be asked to rephrase the instructions so there is no room for misunderstanding. You will then be asked to maintain eye contact while you give your verbal commitment to complete the task.

By giving your verbal commitment you are entering into a binding contract and making a pledge to deliver on time and to standard.

Note: Think carefully before agreeing to such a verbal contract if you are asked to do so. If you genuinely don’t think you can deliver on a contract, you have the right to say something like: ‘I can’t commit to that at the moment, because I have other priorities. If you need it done within that timeframe, you may need to get someone else to do it.’

This may seem strange but compare the potential damage of annoying a team leader in the short term, with the long-term damage of not delivering work that you led them to believe you would complete.

If you make a verbal contract with someone, there are only two acceptable outcomes:

• You meet your contract on time and to the agreed standard; or
• You renegotiate the terms of the contract before the deadline.

It is not acceptable to say to your team leader ‘I’m sorry, I haven’t done it.’ after the deadline lapses. You will be counselled if this happens.

You can ask team leaders to make a verbal contract with you, and you have the right hold them to their side of the deal. Respectful communication is a two-way process.

3. Reason and excuse

If you don’t deliver on a contract, or your actions are in breach of a workplace rule or policy, you will be asked to explain yourself. Team leaders will be trained to recognise the difference between reasons and excuses and will take a very dim view of people who try to use excuses to avoid accountability.  You will be expected to take ownership of the situation if you have been negligent or unreliable and face the consequences with maturity.

4. Communication with a third party

If you are not happy with what another employee has said or done, you will be expected to talk directly with the person concerned. It is not acceptable to complain to a third party who is not involved. If you complain to a third party who can’t resolve the situation, you are likely to damage team morale and create problems.

Team leaders will be trained to handle third party communication very carefully. If you approach a team leader with a problem about another staff member, they will be trained to ask: ‘Have you attempted to address this directly with the person concerned?’ If your answer is ‘No’ you will be directed to do so. They will not involve themselves until you have demonstrated a genuine attempt to resolve it directly.

5. Problems with senior staff

From time to time you may have an issue with a senior person. If you do, you will be expected to:

• Try to resolve it yourself by talking directly to them about the issue; or
• Tell the person concerned that you are still not satisfied and have them join you in meeting with their superior for mediation or arbitration.

If you have a problem with another person (regardless of their position), please make an assertive request for what you want before getting other people involved.

For an in-depth exploration of leadership communication techniques, consider attending the How to Lead workshop.