Navigating Workplace Tension

Leading the Modern Workplace with Clarity 

Conversations, inside and outside the workplace, can be difficult. As a leader, do you ever find it challenging to have meaningful and productive conversations?

Bridging Communication Gaps 

Work policies that allow for remote, hybrid, and in-office working habits alike have provided immense flexibility and freedom that has made positive changes in productivity and workplace culture. At the same time, this lack of synchronicity in conversations, from discussing weekend plans to launching new projects, can easily cause a leader to lose their footing in an organisation and fall out of step with their team. 

An increasingly multigenerational workforce means a richer collection of knowledge and skills in one place is shared. However, a wider age gap in the workplace increases the risk of more misunderstandings in communication (Meyer, 2023).

Leading with Open and Honest Dialogue

Executive leadership coach Ruth Farenga, in her book Next Level Leadership: Nine Lessons from Conscious Leaders and expert series Next Level Leadership with Assemble You, details the importance of creating a culture of openness in collaboration. In the lesson Lean into Difficult Situations, Ruth outlines that difficult conversations, while intimidating, can lead to a stronger connection across a team that fosters ongoing honest dialogue.  

As a leader, it’s essential to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. By leaning into discomfort, you can make waves in your organisation by challenging these gaps in communication with clear and honest conversations. But how can we tolerate the dissonance of miscommunication?

As a first step, set your priorities before entering difficult territory. Whether you're managing a remote workforce where communication is limited or chatting with your intergenerational team, where communication styles vary greatly, set clarity as a priority. Author, academic, and podcaster Brené Brown says, “Clear is Kind. Unclear is Unkind.” The next time you find yourself in challenging situations, keep in mind that clarity and honesty are a priority over your own comfort.

Leaning into Difficult Conversations

Exemplify being straightforward and empathetic when engaging in difficult conversations, and the communication gaps forged by the age gap and mixed-modal working will slowly close. By exemplifying this, others will begin to meet you with the same clarity, honesty, and kindness you offer them. Revisiting difficult conversations will become something you no longer tolerate but meet head-on. 

Assemble You creates podcast-style lessons for easy and accessible learning on the go. 

Assemble You’s audio series with Ruth Farenga examines how to navigate some of the most challenging workplace discussions. They provide guidance, examples, and case studies on how to champion clear communication for leaders.

Citation:

Meyer, E. (2023, December 13). The Pitfalls of Giving Feedback Across Generations. INSEAD Knowledge. https://knowledge.insead.edu/career/pitfalls-giving-feedback-across-generations

Author Information: 

Brigid McCormack

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigidmccormack/

Bio:

Brigid McCormack is a Content Coordinator at Assemble You, helping distribute content and produce the L&D Challenges podcast.

‍