Art Of Judicious Conversation: Constructive Exchanges For Productivity

Conversation is a central feature of our social lives and in a professional setting, it acquires matchless significance. Exchanges of ideas, channels of feedback and the bolstering of partnerships through talking are crucial for productivity and a desirable work culture. However, in actuality, conversations might not flow seamlessly to ensure desired results and affirm uphels values. Studies demonstrate that conversations at the workplace have been far from the ideal with all echelons of the work structure affected, from managers to employees, who have strongly articulated discontent with the kind of exchanges that have taken place and the issues that never found expression in dialogue. Why is a central tenet of collaboration fraught with tension today? What can we do about it? These concerns merit an examination. 

A survey by Quantum Workplace, as SHRM reports, found that half of the respondents found their conversations with colleagues and managers as “less than great”, while as per another survey by Harvard Business Review, a staggering 69 percent of managers found communicating with employees difficult. Respondents in these and several other studies have complained about the leadership of their organizations not communicating effectively, or even frequently, with them and employers on the other hand have spoken of discomfort in talking to their employees as well. What do these trends indicate? If we put our minds to piecing together these findings, we find amiss, a culture of constructive conversations. Not only are people apprehensive to talk to each other, the dialogue they end up having also turns out to be futile. Needless to say, this negatively impacts the productivity of the organization and the value it creates.

Thus, what we need is an elevation of the quality of the conversations at the workplace. Three exchanges have to become judicious, mindful and committed to the growth of the organisation. How do we get to that desirable end? The unravelling of the answer must begin at the problems that prevent good conversation. The aforementioned studies, alongside other reports have found out that apprehension due to hierarchy, social incompatibilities, lack of constructive feedback, the paucity of a space to speak your mind and lack of trust and connection among the people are all factors that prevent fruitful communication. All of these issues can be dealt with, once conversations become judicious and tethered to the goal of a positive outcome. This paradigm of conversation entails learning an art of not letting narrow divisions get to us as we make way for meaningful discussion. 

To begin, it is necessary to have a pro-voices culture in the work environment, where opinions and feedback are welcomed. Personal egos have to be kept aside for a single-minded focus on the subject matter and the organisational hierarchy has to function not as a power-exerting arrangement but as a managerial necessity which promotes articulation of differing views, guidance and responses. This applies to the other end of the spectrum as well and employees also have to contribute to this culture by assessing their responses to seemingly unfavourable circumstances. For example, if you were unable to express your ideas at a meeting, instead of nursing unpleasant emotions, find other sources such as mailing proposals to the manager to have your voice heard. 

In short, everyone has to contribute to building a regime of constructive exchanges. Julia Dhar, in a well-known Ted Talk, outlines how voices can be accommodated when they understand why they have come together, 

“Earlier in my career, I worked for the deputy prime minister of New Zealand […] this particular government set-up had some of almost everything -- small government conservatives, liberals, the Indigenous people's party, the Green Party. And I recently asked him, what does it take to bring a group like that together but hold them together? He said, "Someone, you, has to take responsibility for reminding them of their shared purpose: caring for people.” If we are more focused on what makes us different than the same, then every debate is a fight. If we put our challenges and our problems before us, then every potential ally becomes an adversary.“

It is thus necessary to understand that unwanted elements from workplace conversations have to be removed and conversation has to be judicious, keeping in mind the shared purpose of everyone who works, i.e. boosting productivity and taking the organisation to new heights. Judicious conversation thus is not just a way of carrying work out well, but also an unflinching commitment to the larger goals work is oriented to. Constructive conversation is an art, which has to be learnt to propel us to the summits of productivity and cement our commitment to the larger missions that we undertake as professionals.

Viiveck Verma is the Founder and CEO for Upsurge Global and Adjunct Professor and Advisor to EThames College