I don't speak your language

This talk is about the power of language in the workplace and how to develop good communication in your team or company to ensure that everyone is heard and understood. I've seen too many teams suffer drastically from basic communication barriers - so in this talk I share small things that will help you create a more inclusive team where people can talk openly - including using body language, drawing, facilitation, sponsorship and shared values as ways of improving our communication with one another.

Transcript

1. I don’t speak your language Tessa Cooper, Director of People @Tessacooper5
2. # min Stages of team development 1. Forming 2. Storming 3. Norming 4. Performing Bruce Tuckman, 1965, Model of team development
3. Forming Body language, improv, drawing & learning together
4. Paying attention to body language and making your own more explicit
5. Image © Copyright Read @scarerkite’s blog post on improv
6. Drawing our experiences • Conveys difficult concepts • Enables others to identify the interesting things we might not have emphasised • Allows us to more easily compare our experiences, beliefs or ideas and move forward together
7. # min Give feedback. Learn together.
8. Storming Checking understanding, facilitating and learning together
9. Image © Copyright Okay sure let’s do that. What the fuck is this guy saying
10. It’s okay (and advised) to check your understanding with others who know more - or perhaps come across as if they do!
11. Set the tone & level of discussion
12. Use a facilitator, mediator, translator at any opportunity. Check out our facilitation library
13. # min Give feedback. Learn together.
14. Norming Speaking out, amplifying, and leading together
15. Speaking up and rocking the boat • Write down the points you know you need to make • Prepare your comebacks! • Ask for time • Say if you haven’t quite got the words and expect others to be patient Photo by Heather Mount on Unsplash
16. Amplifying those less heard • Provide clear space & opportunity for others to be heard • Repeat what others say - particularly when someone has talked over the top of them • Challenge others when they’ve not listened to, or have taken credit for, what another person said. Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
17. # min Give & elicit feedback. Lead together.
18. Performing Shared languages
19. Read about our pattern library - by Sandra Meek
20. Company values Be open Empower others Think big Learn together Have fun FutureLearn Values
21. # min Elicit feedback.
23. “Why do you bother speaking to her like that? She doesn’t understand yet.” Generic other person Me & My daughter
24. You do not have the monopoly on a language simply because you can speak it better than others. It is up to you to help them understand through any means possible.
25. Learn together Learning a language is an endless cycle of feedback loops. We never stop discovering the endless joys of language when we teach others.
27. Thanks for listening Please share feedback now or later tessa.cooper@futurelearn.com // @tesscooper5