Communication is the crucial part of our life. Agile organizations and Scrum teams make interaction amoung people as one of the core principles. The fact is that speaking the same language doesn't guarantee the understanding of each other's points. This talk shows typical communication patterns, behaviors and provides eye-opening insights into the ways communication can improved.

1. The most powerful tool we have
Communication
@zuzuzka
Zuzi Sochova
sochova.com

2. Communication is powerful
Derren Brown paying with paper

3. Speaking
Respect different opinions
Ask yourself:
Am I going to say it because of myself or others?
Is it going to help us as a team?
Is it important to mention it?

4. Listening
Use three levels of listening
Ask yourself:
Am I listening for my own understanding?
Do I look for both sides understanding?
Do I want to raise awareness?

5. communication
Write down 6 associations
Think about expression in the middle:

6. Understanding
Don't push too much, stay one step ahead.
Ask yourself:
Did I use their language?
Was the message clear?
Were they ready to understand it?

7. Recognize patterns and break them.
Patterns
Ask yourself:
Can I recognize communication patterns?
Can I break the patten once I see it?
Can I help others out of those patterns?

8. Remember
Experience makes it stick.
Ask yourself:
Did they link it to their own experience?
Does it bring some emotions?
Was the message simple?

9. Seeing
Look for signals, most communication is nonverbal.
Ask yourself:
Do I pay attention to body language?
Do I search for emotions?
Do I adjust my communication as a result of the observations?

10. Feeling
Ask yourself:
Are you willing to speak up when you disagree?
Are you open about your feelings?
Are you building mutual respect in conversation?
Do you trust each other?

11. Environment
The others around me are people.
Ask yourself:
Do I see others as roles or as people?
Do I want to help others or justify myself?
Can I see topic through the eyes of others?

12. Safety
Keep communication healthy.
Ask yourself:
Do you recognize team toxins?
Are you willing to solve it without blame?
Can you apply antidotes instead?

13. Antidotes: COIN
Context
I know you want to assure high quality of our
product.
Observation
You seems to be stressed every time we finish
something and ask you to check it.
Impact
The impact is we rather commit it and don't show it
to you which sometimes creates problems like the
wrong report this week.
Next
I'd like to discuss at planning which parts are
critical so you have to check them.

14. Antidotes: Positivity
For every one negative event have five positive.
Dr. John Gottman

15. Antidotes: Curiosity
Never take it personal, search for understanding.

16. Antidote: System
We are all voices of the system.

17. Perfection
Perfection is too hard, search for improvement.

18. Say it only if it helps the team
Be fully present, listen at all three levels of listening
Notice the signals team gives you
See others as people, not as roles
Understand and limit toxins in communication
Five communication tips

19. Zuzi Šochová
zuzi@sochova.com
@zuzuzka
AGILE & SCRUM COACH
ANDTRAINER, CST
http://sochova.com
http://soch.cz/blog
http://tulming.com
Thank you
Author of The Great ScrumMaster book