4 tips to kickstart honest conversations at work | Betsy Kauffman

Why is it so hard to speak up and productively disagree at work? Leadership and organization coach Betsy Kauffman shows how to bring the candid conversations that usually happen at the watercooler out into the open with four practical strategies you can implement right now to have honest, transparent discussions with your colleagues.

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.

[trainkinder-getinspiredtol]

Honesty and openness are great policy to have in the workplace. Thanks Betsy for sharing with us the know-how

[shahidg]

My name is Shahid and I am apakistani Christian. I am improving my English through your channel. Thanks you so much you and your team.

[SilentCastHD]

I don't know if this is a EU/US thing or specific to my field of work, but if someone would send me a text in a meeting we are both sitting in, I would be flabbergasted, since this is simply nothing one does.

Also: If someone started his objection with "call me captain obvious" implies that they are correct and for me that sends a signal of belitteling the other people in the room along the lines of "Well, sorry if you didn't see it, since you are too stupid, but won't that just not work?"

[karmen]

Asking questions is a good place to start because you can't expect everyone to be openly expressive. I wish more workplaces just talked to their employees individually, a lot more good could come out of a two person conversation.

[TrueCrimeQueen]

Totally obsessed with these videos! I click right when I see the notification. Stay safe out there everyone 🙏❤️

[conscientiouscog]

I wanted to see someone suggest people start being real with each other about things in life rather than being a product - I was disappointed.

[kirancobi]

For the example where someone is not being productive or pull their weight, I think there are more than one option mentioned by Ted talk, option1: have an informal one on one with the person and express your concern by backing up with valid data, so that the person does not feel attacked in public, the cons of this is that person may ignore the suggestion

Option2:easy to escalate to the manager

Option 3: what the ted talker says( have a meeting with the whole team and discuss the productivity of the said person ), cons for this is that it's official and can be misconstrued again..

[dailydoseofmedicinee]

👍Be specific.
Plan out the conversation.

Watch your language.

Offer a solution.

Manage your emotions.

[DiamondPlted]

TLDR: Problems can stem from the management level seeming to be intent on keeping employees subservient.

I've told a supervisor in a matter-of-fact tone with the best figures available to me that more parts were needed to meet a shipment. She said I was wrong and threatened to take away our tracking system on the floor. In the end we were both off but I was still right that there wasn't enough which was found out once we built what we could. After that experience I took my leave of the company because nothing was done even though this level of short sighted management was running rampant.
THIS IS A LARGER PROBLEM.

[TommyLellan]

Don't totally agree with her, but it is interesting how we have gotten to a place in society where politeness overrules everything. If I ever do get into a confrontation with someone at work, I am shaking and my voice wobbles and I get extremely emotional. But why? I am not physically getting assaulted, yet we've programmed ourselves growing up to not speak up because it is a cardinal sin. It's not. We shouldn't shy away from confrontation, as long as it's justifiable.

[ikanovia]

Confident, focus the problem, deliver a message, always seek a solution are to be honest convertation

[Jessmo]

The mic drop moment literally has the solutions built into it. Saying we sont have enough x y z to complete this task is the same as saying we need more x y z to complete it. The problem is that the boss basically wants to know well... I know it's not reasonable, but how can you do it anyway?

[AffirmationsForGrowth]

Amazing content. Good communication bridges gaps

[robertjmccabe]

I have a better solution: meetings are worthless, get rid of them (at least in person ones). From my experience they are just a sounding board for trite buzzwords that the dumbest in the room can “understand”; I guess this is done so that everyone feels included. I would rather everyone write down their ideas in lucid and precise English, email it, and force people to READ everyone else’s ideas. 1). This will weed out the idiots who cant think to the point where they can write down their ideas (you will be surprised how many there are) 2.) It forces people to THINK 3.) You will UNDERSTAND people’s biases to avoid talking past each other later. I have Asperger’s and the neurotypicals out there might disagree with me. I have brought this up at my company (I’m an engineer), and have been told that my suggestion is too much work. But so is having countless meetings that don’t accomplish anything. I cannot understand your world (all of you seem so confident and happy socializing)! I may be biased, but I’ve never seen anything worthwhile come from meetings.

[marktyler]

I'm proud of my child as well, not because of speaking up against other children, but for rejecting the hard left propaganda espoused by the entire teaching staff. Wokists have no mercy - with a child, you correct behaviours that you don't like, "don't do that, it's bullying", but the woke cast judgement from on high in terms of nouns. Racist, sexist etc (you've heard them all daily). Forgivness is not in their toolkit - cancelling people is. That is why no one is willing to speak out. My kid is polite, thoughtful, considerate and kind. The teaching staff react to this individuality of thought with bullying and appeals to authority. This is not education, it's tyranny, and it is the same in every country and every institution that has adopted the pseudo intellectual Critical Theory.

[MrRespectMaths]

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.

[Imbored]

Her: I have two teenage boys one is 16 and the other is 13
Me: I'm 13!!!

[taniellie]

Captain Obvious is not a good thing to say out loud. Lol

[ST-]

Saying captain obvious out load will just embarrass the person who said the idea n make them feel stupid

[aronpark]

Sounds like ideal and like dreming story
it seems not real
but she looks nice and kind
I think you already give to us about positive and alternative:)