I will highlight some of the things that, after reflecting on the workshop, I found most useful:
- Micah asked how many of us in attendance were managers. Several raised their hands. Then he commented that we are all managers—of ourselves and our own communication; and that we need to ensure that our communication is clear and that it sends our message in a way that aligns with the four Key Principles he went on to describe.
- Micah gave an example of the importance of “managing” our communication by asking us if we’d ever said, to someone else at work, something like: “So-and-so is driving me crazy.” He said that the result of this comment might be the creation of a “negative bond” with the listener, who agreed; and then that “negative bond” might be spread to other people. Or, the result might be that if the listener disagreed, our comment could be repeated by the listener to others and/or to the person we were talking about, reflecting badly on us. Either way, it's best that we "manage" our communication by avoiding this kind of comment altogether. When I thought about this example that Micah gave, I found myself recalling times in the past when I did what he was describing, and was sorry that I had done so. The workshop made me resolve to be more self-aware and avoid the potential of hurting others with this kind of comment.
- I also liked Micah’s descriptions of the four key principles of communication (esteem, empathy, sharing, and involvement) and the characteristics of the four styles of communication (passive, passive-aggressive, aggressive, and assertive).
- Micah provided some "tips and tricks" for effective communication
- Assess who you are speaking to: a peer, a library user, a student, a supervisor, a family member
- If possible, plan for the communication beforehand
- Check your nonverbal communication and try to avoid simple errors in this arena
- If the communication involves conflict, focus on the problem, not the person
- Listen and be honest with yourself
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