informative ConfrontationAnother use of assertiveness in overcoming communication barriers in theworkplace isinformative confrontation, a technique for inquiring about discrepancies, conflicts, and mixed messages.31Confronting people about thediscrepancies in their message provides more accurate information. As amanager, here is how you might handle a discrepancy between verbal andnonverbal messages:You’re talking with a team member you suspect is experiencing problems. The person says,“Everything is going great”(verbal message). Atthe same time the team member is fidgeting and clenching his fist (nonverbalmessage). Your informative confrontation might be to say:“You say thingsare great, yet you’re fidgeting and clenching your fist.”Repeating Messages, and Using Multiple ChannelsAs another way of being assertive, you repeat your message and use multiple channels. If you are persistent, your message is more likely to bereceived. An important message should be repeated when it is first delivered and repeated again one or two days later. Repetition of the messagebecomes even more effective when more than one communication channelis used. Effective communicators follow up spoken agreements with writtendocumentation. The use of multiple channels helps accommodate the factthat some people respond better to one communication mode than another.For example, a supervisor asked an employee why she did not followthrough with the supervisor’s request that she wear safety shoes. The
employee replied,“Ididn’t think you were serious. You didn’tsendmean
e-mail.”
Being Direct
Another way of being assertive is to be direct, rather than indirect and evasive, when delivering bad news. A manager might say,“Today is a good day
for a change,”when he has to deliver some bad news about staff members
đang được dịch, vui lòng đợi..
