14 Ground Rules for Respectful Dialogue and Professional Behavior
Often times when we are communicating with our co-workers, partners or even loved ones we forget how to communicate effectively. Many times in-effective communication leads to conflicts. When we are involved in conflicts we tend to react rather then respond. I want to share some ground rules with you. Fellow entrepreneurs, take note.
These rules provide a framework that support open, respectful dialogue, and maximum participation for discussing controversial subjects.
- Listen Actively -- respect others when they are talking and do not interrupt.
- Treat others' feeling with respect and dignity. Do not dominate the conversation.
- Speak from our own experience instead of generalizing. One way to do this is to use 'I' instead of "they," "We," and "you".
- Speak about problem(s) directly with the person(s) involved and avoid complaining to others about the problem.
- Be candid and honest, but do not blame, attack, embarrass, or put-down other people.
- Ask questions respectfully for clarification or to get information, but not to intimidate.
- Refrain from personal attacks -- focus on ideas and core issues rather than personalities. Attack the idea or the problem, not the person.
- Participate to the fullest of your ability -- a cooperative spirit and team progress depends on the inclusion of every individual voice.
- Instead of invalidating somebody else's story with your own spin on their experience, share your own story and experience.
- The goal is not to always agree -- it is about hearing and exploring divergent perspectives. Examine consequences and consider alternatives.
- As we think about the past, focus on the lessons we have learned from the past. Focus on the future that you would like to create.
- Be conscious of body language and nonverbal response -- they can be disrespectful as words. This is specially true when working with people that come from different cultures and backgrounds.
- Take responsibility for observing the ground rules.
- Come up with your own ground rules. Rules that work for your team. Make sure everyone in your team or group agrees with the new ground rules.
These rules are from my conflict resolution class that I took this summer. These rules are a reminder to me. If you feel that these rules might be helpful to you or others, feel free to use or repost elsewhere.
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