Communication for Solutions

- and Resolution

Do you really WANT to hear and be heard?

A lot of the communication we do does not really seek to bring about real solutions
to the problems we face both at an individual and collective levels.

Communications ‘strategies’ focusing on self serving argumentations, self-

justification, blame, emotional black mail, shame, guilt, or force, threat and coercion
do not encourage people to face and solve the real issues that upset our lives.

They are apparently convenient shortcuts to get things done quickly but the side
effects they generate – disengagement, mistrust, hurt, etc – cost our organisations,
our families and ourselves a much heavier price than what we would have invested
in a genuine dialogue focused on meeting the needs of all the parties involved.

First things FIRST

We know today that words represent the smallest proportion of our
communication. The bulk of the messages we send out is about attitude, intention
and behaviour or body language.

In this context, acquiring ‘communication skills’ for the sake of making effective
presentations is not the answer to the problem of mutual understanding: you may be
able to say all the ‘right’ words and train yourself in effective body language but those
things usually do not work unless intention and attitude are congruent with them.
In order to communicate effectively and see through complex or emotionally charged
issues, and identify the strategies and actions that will bring release, resolution and
mutual progress, we need to start with clarifying needs, attitude and intention.

From there, although some amount of skill building is always useful, words and
behaviour usually fall in line and long expected flows of communication start to
happen.
 

Communicating for Solutions does not address theoretical issues that are explored
and covered in our other workshops.

What it does is offer a process through which participants can identify, focus on and
untie specific issues that currently affect their life at work, home or in other areas of
their life.

Each workshop is tailored after initial consultation with the parties involved.

We use a combination of several proven methodologies for facilitating a focused

dialogue: Appreciative Inquiry, ORID, Strategic Focusing and Non Violent
Communication.

Those methods are integrated in our model of the five intelligences.

Communication skills?

- Know what you really need to say.

- Breathe and smile.
- Encourage others to know what they really need to say.
- Speak carefully – Listen carefully.
- Breathe and smile.
- Be respectful, considerate and kind but avoid cosmetics.
- Breathe and smile.
 

For more information, do not hesitate to contact me at

Frederic.eb@gmail.com