One of the basic rules of successful communication lies in avoiding moralizing, as it kills trust. Headlee (2015) calls this strongly unwanted behavior “to pontificate” (4:22). Simply stated, it is essential to provide the interlocutor with sufficient room for self-expression rather than dominate over him or her. I tried applying this tip to my recent conversation with parents; generally, our relationship is good, but we frequently argue about routines in a mentoring manner to demonstrate our maturity. That time, we were discussing the way I dress, and I highlighted that my preferences were my personal view, not the fundamental truth they were unable to realize. Furthermore, I asked them what they could recommend me in the area of style, assuming that they had more experience, which actually is another essential tip (Headlee, 05:41). As a result, no quarrel occurred, and I acquired a broader perspective on the possible variants of how to look.
Although both communication and power are essential in management, the former is primary since it provides a base for the latter. Thus, Liu (2014) defines power as the ability of a particular individual to make the other follow his or her instructions; in simpler terms, this means being sufficiently persuasive (01:16). Such a feature, meanwhile, rests on productive communication, which requires building a relationship of trust. In case power and influence become prevalent over communication, a manager grows authoritarian, which causes protest and, consequently, compromises the effectiveness of work (Whetten & Cameron, 2016). Furthermore, long-term cooperation is hardly possible under such circumstances, while the focus on communication as the initial step, contrariwise, favors it due to enabling strong emotional attachment within the team.
References
Headlee, C. (2015). 10 ways to have a better conversation [Video]. TED. Web.
Liu, E. (2014). How to understand power [Video]. TED. Web.
Whetten, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills (9th Ed.). Pearson.