CommPassion’s Post

Ask us how to resolve your situation 📥   It’s really important to try to notice our judgements, assumptions and labels, especially when we’re having a conversation with somebody, as these are disconnecting, make us feel criticised or blamed, and provoke our unhelpful defence mechanisms.    I was coaching somebody earlier this week who wanting help with planning a conversation with a colleague from let’s say Team A about why they hadn’t put forward suggestions of people from Team B to join their project. I asked what had happened and she said, ‘they just don’t want to include Team B in the project’. I asked how she knew that, and she replied, ‘I think they’re biased’. I questioned whether the Team A colleague had actually said that, and the answer was no. So, we dug deeper together to unpick what had happened, and the fact was Team A simply hadn’t replied to her email. So she was feeling unclear and uncertain as to whether or not they wanted to put Team B forward.     With this recognition, she was more able to formulate a conversation without judgements so instead of ‘why don’t you want to include Team B?’ she was able to say ‘when you didn’t reply, I was unclear. Would you be willing to clarify if you’d like Team B involved and if so which team members?    This shows us how when we push aside those judgements that we make about a person or a situation and focus instead on the observation, the facts of what happened, we can better connect to the emotions and core needs underneath our response and we can then make our requests of the other person to find a solution and meet those needs.    Is there a situation at work that you need help with at the moment? Tell us by using the link in the comments below and we’ll get back to you with a CommPassionate response. #workplace #scenarios #workplacescenarios #wellbeing #psychologicalsafety #conversation #communication #commpassion #judgements #tips #rethinking #coaching #training

The importance of context, what you don’t see when you look in the mirror... If I asked you to describe what’s going on in the photo, what would you say?  Would you focus on what I’m wearing (as it’s more formal than you’ll see me most of the time!), the products on the table or perhaps the showers and lockers in the background?   No matter what you focus on, how much do you really know about what’s going on in this moment? When I sent this photo home to my wife she replied with “You look lovely, but exhausted” She was able to see something that most others wouldn’t as she knew the context, what was going on beneath the surface:- - I had just got off a flight from London (flying drains me!) - I had spent the week at our main office in back to back meetings to make the most of the trip - I was missing her and my kids, having been away from them for the week - I was recovering from a nasty flare up of tonsillitis This was an important reminder for me that we often only see the surface level in our interactions with people. Much like an iceberg, every person has plenty going on under the surface that isn't visible.   With that reminder fresh in my mind, 3 things I’ve been thinking about:- 1. We need to normalise speaking about and sharing context: while it may be uncomfortable at first, doing so invites people in and opens up avenues of support 2. You can still show up despite the context: while the situations we are navigating may leave us feeling like disconnecting it’s important to remember the value of connection in these times and lean in to that, where we can 3. Rest and recovery is vital: giving ourselves permission to acknowledge what’s going on and, as a result, allowing space to rest, process and recover is vital when we think about longevity How do we move forward with these conversations, nurturing understanding and support? Is it important to share context as we seek to empower and support one another? Let me know your thoughts. #Leadership #Communication #Support

Addressing the Elephant in the Room Good morning! We’ve all been there, a situation where the elephant in the room looms large. It could be: A workplace challenge everyone feels but no one mentions. A personal conversation you’ve been meaning to have but keep postponing. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. In fact, it often grows larger, casting a shadow over our progress, relationships, and peace of mind. This Monday, let’s flip the script: Acknowledge the elephant. Start the dialogue. Take that bold step toward resolution. Whether it’s giving a teammate constructive feedback or opening up to someone you care about, addressing the uncomfortable can lead to clarity, trust, and growth. Let’s face our elephants this week together! What’s one small step you can take to tackle yours today? #MondayMotivation #GrowthMindset #PersonalAndProfessionalGrowth

Learning to disagree respectfully and manage your own emotions if the other party isn’t staying calm takes hard work and intention. Here’s how to respectfully voice your disagreement at work. https://krnfy.bz/3VKbmch #careertips #conflictmanagement #emotions

Learning to disagree respectfully and manage your own emotions if the other party isn’t staying calm takes hard work and intention. Here’s how to respectfully voice your disagreement at work. https://krnfy.bz/3VKbmch #careertips #conflictmanagement #emotions

Learning to disagree respectfully and manage your own emotions if the other party isn’t staying calm takes hard work and intention. Here’s how to respectfully voice your disagreement at work. https://krnfy.bz/3VKbmch #careertips #conflictmanagement #emotions

Learning to disagree respectfully and manage your own emotions if the other party isn’t staying calm takes hard work and intention. Here’s how to respectfully voice your disagreement at work. https://krnfy.bz/3VKbmch #careertips #conflictmanagement #emotions

Learning to disagree respectfully and manage your own emotions if the other party isn’t staying calm takes hard work and intention. Here’s how to respectfully voice your disagreement at work. https://krnfy.bz/3VKbmch #careertips #conflictmanagement #emotions

‘People say that I’m unapproachable and I don’t like that.’ Sarah and I were discussing what she would like to explore in our coaching sessions, and she expressed concerns that colleagues seemed to be actively avoiding her. It was clear that Sarah and her colleagues were experiencing a fear of conflict in the workplace and that exploring this team dysfunction would be the best starting point for our coaching conversations.  Sarah and I considered why colleagues might find her unapproachable. She acknowledged she was often quick to anger and frustration, especially when people ‘said stupid things’ or ‘didn’t do their job properly’.  In that moment I understood her matter-of-fact reply to be a positioning statement, similar to ‘I’m always right’ and I wondered if this might be the case.  Sarah agreed that she often believed this and was open to thinking why this might be the case and how it was undermining accountability and trust in her team. Our work over the next 4 sessions focused on relationship management techniques, emotional regulation and adopting new relational positions in the workplace. By the 5th session, Sarah said she was ‘a new person’.  Our work together had helped her begin to introduce psychological safety and trust within her team and she was much less stressed as a result. If you are experiencing an absence of trust in colleagues or others find you unapproachable, like Sarah did, consider whether you may inadvertently be contributing to these team dysfunctions.  The solutions may be simpler than you realise. #the5dysfunctions #fearofconflict #emotionalintelligence #highperformance

Learning to disagree respectfully and manage your own emotions if the other party isn’t staying calm takes hard work and intention. Here’s how to respectfully voice your disagreement at work. https://krnfy.bz/3VKbmch #careertips #conflictmanagement #emotions