Climate Essay Jamieca Jefferson HCS/131 Cheryl Gates 4/12/2016

Climate Essay Listening is a vital part of workplace communication. There is a difference between active listening and non-active listening. Being an active listener means to take interest in both the speaker and the message. Active listening is an important tool used in the workplace to build bonds with coworkers, increase productivity, settle disagreements, boost confidence, and help improve accuracy. Active listening also helps to improve the climate in the workplace. Supportive and defensive climates help to improve employee interaction in the workplace. When actively listening, and utilizing supportive and defensive climates, the workplace can be a more relaxed environment. Active listening promotes respect and trust among coworkers, whom are usually the sender and receiver within the conversation. For example, by effectively communicating with a coworker, you are building trust and understanding, which lets the coworker know that they can always come back and talk to you. Productivity is increased when coworkers use active listening to address problems. For example, if a coworker is struggling in an area that is my strength, I would hear them out and offer advice to help them improve. Active listening helps both parties to keep a “cooler head” when settling disagreements. For example, active listening can help tremendously when two coworkers are not seeing eye to eye, by allowing them both to voice their opinions, then create a solution together. Active listening also helps employees to gain confidence from being able to get along with coworkers. For example, being liked by your peers always gives you a confidence boost because it makes you feel popular, rather than being an outcast and not getting along with anyone. Accuracy is very important in the workplace. By actively listening, this reduces the amounts of misunderstandings and mistakes. Active listening is very important, but it is the supportive and defensive climates that are factors in determining the effectiveness of your communication. Each element of supportive and defensive climates help to get your point across. The elements of supportive and defensive contribute to the structure of the workplace. Description, which is a supportive climate, is the message that explains your thoughts and feelings to others. For example, the statement “I need to get up early for work,” is a descriptive statement. On the other hand, the defensive climate, evaluation judges or criticizes some else. For example, the statement “you are not being nice right now” shows criticism. Problem orientation is a supportive climate that is a point of view that you share with another person. For example, I had a problem with the way my immediate manager was speaking to me on the job, after a conversation, we were able to reach common ground. On the other hand, the defensive climate control, expects another person to change their behavior to meet your needs. For example, if a person has a routine that gets their job done correctly, but you come in and try to change their method to something that you like, is a form of control. Spontaneity is a supportive climate that refers to a genuine way of communication honestly. For example, at my job, we all inquire and discuss the well-being of ourselves and family members and we discuss mutual interests. On the other hand, strategy is a defensive climate that involves manipulation and tricks. For example, when people come and talk to you only when they need or want something is a form of strategy. Empathy is a supportive climate that communicates respect, understanding, and acceptance to another and putting yourself in their shoes. For example, helping someone in need is a form of empathy, because you realize that this could easily be you in their position. On the other hand, neutrality is a defensive climate that expresses lack of concern with an impersonal tone. For example, helping someone just because it’s the right thing to do and not because it’s what’s in your heart is a form of neutrality. Equality is a supportive climate that shares a mutual respect for everyone, regardless of what your power or position. For example, being a manager and treating your employees with the respect that you would want to be treated with is a form of equality. On the other hand, superiority is a defensive climate that involves looking down on others because they are at a “lower” position than you are. For example, being a manager and being mean to your regular employees, but being nice to other employees or coworkers on your same level, is a form of superiority. Provisionalism is a supportive climate that is an open-minded view of new ideas, and trying new things. For example, being open to new policies or new tactics to get your job done is a form of provisionalism. On the other hand, certainty is a defensive climate that is a close minded view of everything. For example, feeling like the current way of doing things is the only way that will work and not being open to giving new ideas a try, is a form of certainty. Listening plays a major part in workplace communication. Active listening is more than just listening to what a person is saying. Active listening is the process of taking interest in what the speaker is saying and applying it to your job. By actively listening, employees can build bonds with fellow employees, strengthen productivity, improve accuracy, build confidence, and settle disagreements. Active listening combined with the use of supportive and defensive climates can make the workplace a more relaxed and productive environment.