In “Communicate with Diplomacy and Tact” by Dale Carnegie Training, the article discusses effective communication when discussing safety issues within the workplace.  When a safety issue arises, many times management and employees will communicate about how to solve the particular safety issue.  It is imperative for conversations about safety issues to be effective so that they are positive, non-aggressive or defensive discussions.   Effective communication is key to agreeing to a solution on a safety issue.  In the article, Dale Carnegie Training mentions that people who demonstrate qualities of diplomacy and tact are the most effective communicators and typically; think before speaking, consider the listeners, relationships and environment, turn the negative into a positive, and give people the benefit of the doubt.   By utilizing these qualities, management and employees in safety discussions have thoughtful safety discussions that look into all aspects and perspectives of the safety issue to create the best solution possible.

When in discussions about safety, disagreements may occur, to have effective conversations even while disagreeing; Dale Carnegie Training offers the following steps; maintain emotional control, respond with a cushion, give evidence for your opinion and share your opinion.   By maintaining control of emotions to get facts, sharing opinions and offering evidence for your opinions, management can focus on the facts and perspectives of the concerns rather than the emotions surrounding the disagreement.  This allows for effective disagreement to meet a solution that benefits both parties.

Dale Carnegie Training offers extremely beneficial advice on communicating when discussing safety issues.  Rather than auguring and disagreeing on a solution, management and employees trying to solve safety issues can work to understand others’ opinions and ideas and collaborate to come up with a positive solution.  By utilizing Dale Carnegie Training’s advice on effective communication, management and employees can effectively discuss safety issues to reduce safety concerns in the workplace and lower incidents and injuries caused.

Dale Carnegie Training. “Communicate with Diplomacy and Tact.” Safety+Health. November 2010, pg. 74.

Filed under: Workplace Safety by Beth Faraci Social tagging: Worplace Safety