Effective communication in the workplace is crucial for fostering collaboration, reducing misunderstandings, and enhancing overall productivity.
Having good communication skills is not just about conveying information but also about actively listening and understanding others’ perspectives. It’s a two-way process that, when navigated well, can lead to a more positive and productive environment.
In Transactional Analysis (TA) we refer to units of interactions as Transactions. Using the PAC model, we can see 3 common types of interaction from the diagram. We have all communicated in these ways, whether with family and friends or in the workplace.
We can think of this as the sender being in one state and the receiver being in the same state, complementing the ego states instead of being challenged by it.
It is important to note that although the phrase ‘complementary transactions’ sounds positive, it does not necessarily mean that this type of communication is always healthy.
Naturally, the best state to be in for this, is the adult-adult state, as the two people work in harmony with each other to find common areas of agreement rather than conflict.
However, if both are in a complementary but child-child state, there may be a lack of problem-solving.
This is when the ego states don’t match each other and can cause conflict in one way or another. They respond to the sender in a conflicting way (which can be seen by the crossed-over arrows in the image). A crossed transaction will require one or both parties to shift perspectives so the communication can carry on at a reasonable level. You can often feel “stuck” in these situations.
Crossed transactions can be very problematic in any relationship and lead to conflict.
You’ll have heard of ‘ulterior motives’ or ‘hidden agendas’. This is where a person’s behaviour or statements say one thing, while intentionally or subconsciously meaning something else.
This can be the essence of an ulterior transaction, where an underlying, subtle message from one state could be interpreted as another state by the other person.
Ulterior transactions are common in the workplace. They lack authenticity and can result in strained relationships.
TA theory suggests that if you respond from your adult state, in any of these transactions, it is more likely that the sender can then also come back into their adult state to accommodate for the discrepancy and can help maintain an OK-OK relationship.
The three different transactions in communication are not defined by verbal language and words alone. It also incorporates tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions.
In June we re-visited the team at Alessandro Caruso Architects to take a deep dive into their communication styles and offer some theories to help them reflect on how they respond to others.
“The second session with Gemma focused on our thinking preferences and communication styles, and was aimed at boosting team wellbeing and improving interpersonal communication. We found that we can adapt our communication styles to be more effective, reducing misunderstandings and miscommunications.”
Alessandro Caruso Architects
If you feel inspired to learn more about how positive communication can impact your team, get in touch!
