1. An Interview with NICOLE CULLEN | Cullaborate
Communicating
Effectively at Work
Strategies for Business Leaders and Managers
Effective communication skills
distinguish great leaders in
business and in politics.
Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull says that it is “emotional
intelligence” that distinguishes his leadership style. "The
important thing is to have the emotional intelligence and the
empathy and the imagination that enables you to walk in
somebody else's shoes," he said when asked how he would
relate to ordinary Australians.1
We spoke with Nicole Cullen, communications and conflict
management expert to get some tips on navigating successful
communications at work.
Could you tell me a bit about yourself and your
work in corporate communications?
I started corporate life as a litigation lawyer and it was there I
learnt several communication skills that have served me well in
subsequent roles:
f The ability to write for different audiences.
f An understanding of how to underwrite for someone else.
f The ability to explain complex information in simple terms.
f The art of reframing.
After working as a lawyer, I worked in the Ombudsman sector,
managing a national complaints scheme and I was also the
Deputy Chairperson of the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal
for 5 years.
I became a nationally accredited mediator as I was more
interested to have real conversations around the table with
conflicted parties than I was to engage in adversarial processes.
Ten years ago, I started a boutique consulting firm “Cullaborate”
which provides conflict resolution services including mediation,
facilitation and training to corporate clients.
In your opinion, what is the biggest mistake that
people make when it comes to communicating in
the workplace?
Having mediated countless workplace disputes, I would say
the biggest mistake people make is failing (or refusing) to give
adequate consideration to the recipient and how to best get the
message across. This is often due to a lack of training, poor role
models, time pressures at work and so on.
To be a good communicator, you need to think about and
understand the communication style, personality and
preferences of the other person. Are they an introvert? An
extravert? Do they have visual or aural tendencies? Do they
exhibit high conflict behaviours? Might they have a personality
disorder? This is not to suggest that you need a psychology
degree before communicating effectively at work. You simply
need to observe behaviours (yours and theirs) and pay attention
to what works and what doesn’t work when communicating.

2. One size does not fit all when it comes to communicating
with different people at work, and it pays to think about
what the other person needs (i.e. their underlying interests).
The CEO wants an executive summary and if there is time, an
interesting story. Storytelling in business is a popular way to
connect with audiences and support key corporate messages.
The internal auditor has an ear for risk and compliance and
is generally keen to engage. The sales person wants the good
news fast, the social media manager is currently online, and
the receptionist wants to know that you are a nice person.
ThereasonIsaythatnotanticipatingyouraudienceisthebiggest
communication mistake is because so many of the workplace
disputes I help to resolve arise out of misunderstandings,
miscommunications, and failures to connect effectively with
the other person. These misunderstandings need not have
happened if the communication style and preferences of the
other person had been anticipated and accommodated in
order to get the message across.
That’s not to say you have to like the other person, accept
all of their views, or become their best friend at work. Many
managers I coach say they simply don’t want to socialise with
the members of their team and they have clear boundaries
around their work life and personal life. The downside is that
team members have intuitive radars for managers who leave
their people skills at home. They end up feeling alienated at
work and generally have the time and inclination to engage
in warfare at the water cooler. The next thing on the agenda
is sick leave followed by a workplace mediation, a possible
bullying claim, and/or work cover application. It always goes to
show me how a little rapport goes a long way to build trust and
support effective communication in a working relationship.
What makes workplace communication positive
and successful? What can hinder successful
communication?
The first, and I believe indispensable, step in any workplace
communication is to establish rapport. There are a number
of ways you can quickly do this. Body language is particularly
important and you can subtly mirror the other person’s stance
(so long as they are not exhibiting negative behaviours such
as thumping a table etc). Be aware of your physical space, and
the other person’s comfort zone and space requirements. I
bumped into a former work colleague recently. We gave each
other a rather formal embrace and then he stepped back
one foot. I was conscious of this and did not breach his clear
requirement for personal space. Once we had chatted a while,
I closed the conversation more formally than I generally would
have, and this appropriately matched his physical stance.
Some rules of thumb include getting to the same physical level
as the other person. So if they are sitting, try to find a chair too.
If they are standing, then you stand. I am always conscious if I
am standing on a step, nature strip, or other slightly elevated
landing and the other person is at a lower or ground level
(unless they are 6 foot 4, in which case it’s a nice levelling). It
is so respectful to move to the same level as the other person.
A fail proof strategy for effective communication is to learn
about framing. Managers need to motivate people to achieve
goals and the ability to frame an issue effectively is critical.
What exactly does it mean to “frame” or “reframe” an issue?
If you think about the metaphor behind the concept, a frame
focuses attention on the painting it surrounds.

3. 1
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-turnbull-vows-to-
display-emotional-intelligence-20150921-gjrs71.html#ixzz3mNjnKcVz
Different frames draw out different aspects of the painting. A
red frame will bring out the red in the painting. A blue frame
will bring out the blue. How you frame an issue influences how
others see it and focuses their attention on the aspects you are
highlighting.
Framing will help you to target a communication to a specific
audience. For example, if you would like the conversation to
be about improving a relationship, you might start by saying
“I wonder if you have time this afternoon to talk about our
working relationship and your thoughts on how we can each
contribute (to a project etc).” If you want the conversation to
be about exploring options, you might frame it by saying “are
you free to discuss the options we have moving forwards?”
Although conceptually, “framing” seems pretty straightforward,
the reality is that it is under done in the workplace.
What sorts of things do good leaders need to be
able to say or communicate to their employees?
Firstly, its not all about what you say. Listening is key. Through
body language, non-verbal communications, use of silence,
reflection, and careful questioning, leaders can learn a lot
without saying or communicating much at all.
Successful communication is hindered by failing to listen. If
you approach a workplace communication with your message
ready to deliver, but you fail to listen to the other person, then
you have lost an opportunity. You have missed information
about the other person's needs that could have led you to an
expanded range of options for consideration. I believe that
some people lose sight of their own needs (and have no interest
in the other’s needs) in the face of conflict. Opposing the other
person becomes the main game. “Interests based” processes,
such as mediation, can assist parties to get back to conversing
about the things that really matter.
Using the other person’s name is a great start. For maximum
effect, use their name a few times in conversation. The same
applies for email. If you can incorporate the other person’s
name into the email more than once, this is very engaging for
the reader. If it is an unusual name, ask for guidance on the
pronunciation and practice it out loud. There is nothing more
respectful than correct pronunciation of a difficult name and
this is guaranteed to build rapport. The opposite applies – so if
you use the wrong name when addressing someone at work, or
if you incorrectly pronounce the name then you will breach the
rapport you are trying to build.
I was working with 2 male managers recently. One would email
the other:
Hi Ewan,
General email content...
Kind regards,
Dave
Thesecondmanagerwouldlaunchintohisemailcommunication
without any name salutation at all, and without signing off at
the end (other than his corporate signature).
We need to review our resource allocation immediately.
Ewan Smith
Senior Manager
After some coaching, the second manager began to write the
other manager’s name in emails, and he also included a sign off
line such as “regards” before this own name (rather than just
his corporate signature). This simple act had a positive effect on
their working relationship.
Another communication strategy that could be deployed
in workplaces is to acknowledge emotion. For example,
just acknowledging emotion by saying something like “that
sounds stressful” or “that must be annoying.” Leaders who
acknowledge emotion find that their conversations are deeper,
more connected, and ultimately generate better results.
Finally, asking good open questions is a respectful way to
help the other person to develop and nominate options. For
example, by asking “what are your thoughts on this?” or “what
are the challenges in your view?” you will build a better working
relationship. A person who is acting within their chosen option
is generally engaged, collaborative and proactive.
Mindful use of these communication strategies will assist you
to build engagement and consensus at work.
About the Author
Nicole Cullen is the founding director of Cullaborate, a boutique consulting firm that offers a range
of conflict resolution services. Nicole was formerly the Deputy Chairperson of the Superannuation
Complaints Tribunal and Manager of the Financial Services Complaints Resolution Scheme. She is based
in Melbourne, an expert in complaints handling, dispute system design and alternative dispute resolution
and she provides associated training, consulting and advice. Contact nicolecullen@cullaborate.com.au
for further information.