CREATING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION:

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR INNOVATORS

!Presented by: Joe Brummer Community Mediation, Inc.

S A M U E L “ J O E ” B R U M M E R A S S O C I AT E E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ( 2 0 3 ) - 7 8 2 - 3 5 0 0 !J O E @ C M E D I AT I O N . O R G !T W I T T E R : @ C M E D I AT I O N

ELEMENTS OF INNOVATION•Creativity •Resilience •Vulnerability •Value Creation •Teamwork

•Play •Ideation •Collaboration •Accepting Failure •EMPATHY

WHAT IS EMPATHY?The ability to: 1.) recognize and understand another’s emotions without feeling those emotions yourself (known Affective Empathy) !

2.) the ability to take another’s perspective and see the world from their shoes (known as Theory of Mind or Cognitive Empathy)

HOW DOES EMPATHY WORK?

•Mirror Neurons

•Oxytocin

WHY EMPATHY?Organizations that incorporate into their thinking, planning, and doing the empathic connection that generates employee empowerment experience such far-reaching results as the following, cited in the Collins and Fisher research: 

◦ 45% lower costs

◦ 250% improvement in productivity

◦ 100% increase in revenues and profits

◦ 50% cut in accidents, absenteeism, and sickness

◦ 3.42 to 18.50 times increase in the general stock market value

Source: Miyashiro, Jerry Colonna Marie R. (2011-10-01). The Empathy Factor: Your Competitive Advantage for Personal, Team, and Business Success (p. 29). Independent Publishers Group. Kindle Edition. 

Elements of Workplace Culture & Sub-Culture:

• Power/Control • Authority vs. Power • Transparency • Sense of Trust • Gender Differences/Roles • Diversity • Unwritten Rules • Stories/narratives • Organizational Habits • Traditions • Growth

• Shared Reality • Mission • Teamwork • Policy/Procedures • Play/mandatory overtime • Engagement/Sense of

Connection • Communication • Workplace Bullying • Roles and Relationships

TOXIC VS. EMPATHIC WORKPLACE CULTURE

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Culture of busy-overwhelmed-pressure-never enough time-EVERYTHING IS RUSH-RUSH

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Culture of rest-preparation-wellness-support-teamwork Work/life Balance/PLAY

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Culture of cliques-gossip-outcasts-bullying-polarization

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Culture of SHARED MISSION

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Culture of BLAME

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Culture of ACCOUNTABILITY

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Culture of Progressive Discipline

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Strength-based SUPPORT systems

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Rules/Policies are designed to control people’s behavior

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Rules/policies are meant to set healthy boundaries for success!

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Decisions are made behind closed doors Topdown - Secrecy- Shame

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Transparency is the norm not the exception

TOXIC WORKPLACE

Acknowledgment is about punishment & rewards

EMPATHIC WORKPLACE

Acknowledgement is gratitude/celebrations

EMPATHY BASED CULTURE

•Wellness •Shared Identity/Mission

•Accountability •Strength Based Support

•Transparency/Open Communication

•Rules/Policies •Gratitude

The Four-Step Model of NVC

Connection Fight, Flight, Freeze

O Make clear Observations Make evaluations

F true feelings Share thoughts

N Express universal needs Give strategies

R Make actionable & present requests Make Demands

Needs Language:Source: W. Glasser, PhD

CONNECTION:

“The energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”

!

~ Brene Brown, PhD, L.M.S.W. The Gifts of Imperfection

RELATIONSHIP-BASED WORKPLACES

•Relationship to self •Relationship to others •Relationship to the organization

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

THE FOUR D’S OF DISCONNECTION•Diagnosing: Telling people “what” they are rather than “what” we need.

•Deserve Language: Who is right, wrong, good, bad and who deserves to be rewarded or punished.

•Denying Choice/Responsibility: blaming others for our feelings, obscuring choice by saying, “I had to” or “You have to” – inducing guilt and/or shame.

•Demanding: threatening, bribing, bullying –inducing fear of punishment or promise of reward.

Words/Phrases that Disconnect:

OughtShould

With all due respect…BUT!

HOWEVER

Have to…

I am sorry to say...

MUST!!

I understand....

SAYING IT WITH NVC:Honest expression Giving empathy

Observation When I see… Observation When you see …

Feeling I feel… Feeling Are you feeling

Need Because I need… Need Because you

Request Would you be willing to… Request Would you like

THREE MODES OF LISTENING: 1) FIX IT! Approach Sounds like this…

Advising “I think you should …” “Why don’t you …”

One upping “That’s nothing; wait till you hear what happened to me!”

Educating “You'll know better next time” - “What did you learn from that?” - “That’s not a feeling.”

Consoling “It wasn’t your fault; you did the best you could.” - “Why would anyone do that to you?”

Story telling “That reminds me of the time…” - “I know what you mean, it’s just like when …”

Shutting down “Cheer up. Don’t feel so bad.” - “On the bright side, you still have …”

Sympathizing “Oh, you poor thing…” “That’s horrible.”

Interrogating “When did this happen?” “Who was it?”

Explaining “I would have called but…”

Correcting “That’s not how it happened.” “You mean last week."

Approach Sounds like this…

Competition “You’re WRONG!” and “I am RIGHT” and even if I am not “right” I am going to prove “You are wrong” anyway…

Revenge“You don’t know what you are talking about” “Does anyone have any intelligent questions”

“I’ll teach you to question my authority”

Silence to remain safe ***Crickets Chirping***

Three Modes of Listening: 2) Defense/Compete

Three Modes of Listening: 3) Empathy

Presence

Silent Empathy

Understanding

Needs Language

(OFNR)

SAYING IT WITH NVC:Honest expression Giving empathy

Observation When I see… Observation When you see …

Feeling I feel… Feeling Are you feeling

Need Because I need… Need Because you

Request Would you be willing to… Request Would you like

The Four Choices to Responding

Fight or Flight/ External Control

Connection

Blame others Blame self Hear my needsConnection with Other’s Needs

Fight Flight Honesty Empathy

Power over Power under Power with Power with

Expressing/Receiving

PRACTICING Gratitude

Steps Components

Observation What were the actions that contributed to our well being?

Feelings How did we feel about that?

Needs What needs were met by the action?

CONTACT:

joe@cmediation.org

Office: (203) 782-2514

www.community-mediation.org