5 Communication Skills to Avoid Defensiveness

We have all seen it happen on teams: A team member criticizes teammate's work, provoking a defensive reaction and response triggering an equally defensive come back. So begins a defensiveness chain which puts a stop to effective communication, impacting individual and team effectiveness.

This video examines common defensive reactions such as hiding behind rules, creating a diversion, and launching a counterattack. It also depicts inappropriate but typical responses, such shutting down and passive-aggressive behavior. Open communication between and among team leaders and team members is essential, viewers learn to take responsibility for their own communication and responses. The training focuses on controlling our own behavior by disengaging from the emotional reaction, empathizing, inquiring to understand the real issue being raised, disclosing information and depersonalizing the discussion.

This Video On Demand training stresses the importance of communicating in a non-threatening way, and listening objectively to others.