Safe Communication in the Workplace
Safe Communication in the Workplace: One of the marks of team excellence is a collaborative climate. In the article When teams work best: 6,000 Team members and leaders tell what it takes to succeed, it stated, “Research demonstrates that effective team leaders ensure a collaborative climate by making communication safe, demanding and rewarding collaborative behavior, guiding the team’s problem-solving efforts, and managing their own control needs (LaFasto, F. & Larson, C., 2001).”
In a 2-3 page paper, discuss what constitutes “safe communication” in the workplace: Between co-workers, between subordinates and supervisors, and between subordinates and the organization as a whole. What types of talk needs to be safe-guarded? Why? In an organization, who is responsible for ensuring safe communication? Be sure to reference both the chapter 12 & 14 in your textbook and the LaFasto and Larson Article
as you answer these questions.
Answer preview
To achieve set goals and objectives in the workplace employees must work collaboratively. Teamwork enables individuals and organizations to achieve more and go to greater lengths than they could individually. For teams to function, members must maintain effective communication. Safe communication constitutes verbal and non-verbal cues that do not result in defensive behavior among coworkers or between subordinates and supervisors. Defensiveness must be neutralized by understanding what issues cause defensiveness in others and agreeing to avoid those subjects…
(600 words)