Giving positive feedback for actions and achievements at work is crucial for conjuring employees motivation. Sentences like "Youve done well! are commonly used in this manner. But they are not as commonly appreciated, Claude-Hélène Mayer, Doctorate in Cultural Anthropology at Georg-August-University Goettingen, and Christian Martin Boness, Doctorate in education, specializing in intercultural didactics, Georg-August-University Goettingen, argue. Turning to Marshall B. Rosenbergs concept of non-violent communication, the authors explain why a smile and a "thank you might be a better way to express appreciation and how non-violent communication principles apply especially to managing transcultural organizations.
A "well done might not conjure up any associations of violence or (mis-)use of power in a superior when spoken to an employee; especially when it is spoken from a point of thankfulness and well-meant appreciation. But following Rosenbergs reasoning and applying his technique of non-violent communication (Rosenberg, 2001) in the field of organizational management, Mayer and Boness explain why simple praising might not be the best way to go.
"According to Marshall Rosenberg, praising is a violent way of communication since it is highly manipulative and full of appraisal and judgment, the researchers explain. It separates. Puts the people involved in the conversation on different levels. Thus, praising does not necessarily lead to enhanced motivation and organizational identification; it may also further interpersonal separation.
Fortunately, "it [praise] can be easily changed to appreciation by defining the concrete actions which contribute to our well-being, expressing the needs which have been fulfilled and emphasizing the feelings which have been developed out of the fulfilled needs, the authors highlight. "Often these three steps are expressed through a smile and a thank you.
Rosenbergs practical-oriented communication technique, widely known as non-violent communication (NVC), focuses on whats alive in us as humans? when communicating. According to Rosenberg, non-violent communication involves honestly experiencing our own emotions and needs and empathically listing them to others, while also recognizing the feelings and needs of our communication partners. It involves a change of focus while communicating. It requires us to turn away from often deeply ingrained communication styles that emphasize obligation, duty, punishment and reward, and instead turn to a form of communication that speaks and listens from the heart and allows for honesty and openness.
"In transcultural communication situations
[it] is particularly important to understand the connection of observations, feelings, needs and requests across cultures and connect to the universal aspects that connect people across cultures, Mayer and Boness shed some light into the question on how transcultural organizations might in particular benefit from this communication principle. "Non-violent communication is based on the assumption that humanity is strongly important in human interactions and builds the basic principle of communication across cultures.
So, how could a non-violent sentence of appraisal sound; one that involved more than an honestly-meant "thank you?
Mayer and Boness encourage managers to "look precisely at the work situation
and state your observation, your feelings, your needs and your request. This procedure resembles exactly the four basic steps Rosenberg proposed to achieve a non-violent form of communication (Rosenberg, 2001).
Following this advice - and instead of saying "Youve done well - true appraisal might sound something like this: "I see youve finalized your work within your deadline. Im really grateful for that because I need to strictly stick to the timetables. Id love to see you keep working like that.
Unfamiliar? Maybe. Not as easy as it sounds? Probably. But due to the authors, it is worth the extra effort.
In order to make things a bit easier, they have dedicated a whole chapter in their recent coaching and training handbook on managing transcultural organizational conflicts; also providing further insight into de-escalating communication techniques.
"Particularly during the past years of global crisis, we have recognized the need for increasing mental health in managers and organizations. We believe that managers and organizations in the 21th century require a shift towards holistic and spiritual values to promote sustainable healthy organizations, the authors sum up their approach on successful transcultural management.
Giving employees appraisal - instead of praise - might be a first step forward into this direction. ALZ
Creating mental health across cultures – Coaching and training for managers
Mayer, Claude-Hélène; Boness; Christian Martin
