| Continued... | | | | housing, unemployment and infrastructure in |
| Toxic Rhetoric Leads to Poisoned Communication | | | | impoverished suburban neighborhoods throughout the |
| Climate | | | | country. |
| A leader's inability to choose an appropriate | | | | The first and most important step in any conflict |
| communication strategy in a conflict situation can | | | | situation is to consider and understand where the |
| have disastrous consequences, as witnessed by the | | | | other side is coming from. That consideration has to |
| French riots. | | | | be stated as clearly and sincerely as possible. Your |
| Instead of using language that could calm heated | | | | opponents, particularly in a potentially explosive |
| attitudes and discourage further violence, Nicolas | | | | situation, have to understand that you are genuinely |
| Sarcozy chose to declare war on the young rioters | | | | interested in considering the issues from their |
| and challenged them anew by announcing, "I will fight | | | | perspective. This will aid you tremendously in calming |
| them in the back alleys of the suburbs!" To no big | | | | emotions and focusing on resolving conflicting goals |
| surprise, the rioting teenagers accepted the challenge | | | | when communicating during a crisis. |
| and increased their attacks on suburbia with | | | | Our Communication Options in Conflict Situations |
| Sarcozy's rhetoric providing the fuel of hatred and | | | | Whenever we are faced with a crisis, it is important |
| desperation. | | | | that we remember that we have options in the way |
| What lesson can business leaders learn from the | | | | we respond to the situation. Here are some of the |
| French Interior Ministers communication strategy? | | | | more productive strategies you can use in place of |
| Irreversible Damage | | | | the ones that tend to escalate a conflict rather than |
| All communication, whether intentional or unintentional, | | | | contribute to resolving it: |
| is irreversible. We often wish that we could take | | | | - Instead of resorting to personal attacks and insults, |
| something back we've said, and rephrase or rethink | | | | focus on making the issues the center of discussion. |
| our language. But that is of course impossible. While | | | | - Instead of trying to make your point with |
| retractions, apologies and explanations serve as | | | | emotionally laden rhetoric in an already emotionally |
| attempts to "smooth things over", once a damaging | | | | heated climate, argue with reason and rational |
| or toxic remark has been uttered, it has already hit | | | | thought, sticking to facts and telling the truth. |
| its target without any chance of being recovered. | | | | - Instead of focusing on winning your argument at |
| The impression is created, the message received. | | | | any cost, offer ideas on how both sides can |
| Such is the power of words. Hence the value of the | | | | collaborate to find solutions to contentious issues. |
| old saying, "think before you speak." | | | | - Instead of pressuring your opposition, work to |
| While most of us do not carry the burden of running | | | | persuade them with logic and simple language. |
| a country, important communication lessons can be | | | | - Instead of pushing the other side into a corner with |
| extracted from the leaders that are directly involved | | | | no way out, give them an opportunity to change |
| in France's unrest. | | | | their position without losing face. |
| Lessons in Conflict | | | | - Instead of "digging in your heels" when you argue |
| Conflict is a part of life, as it represents a struggle to | | | | your point of view, leave open the possibility of |
| have one's needs and goals met. This is instinctive for | | | | genuinely considering an alternative, mutually |
| most humans and whenever we face a barrier in our | | | | acceptable, solution. |
| quest to have our needs met, we have certain | | | | - Instead of thinking and speaking in limitations, adopt |
| options. Submit to the circumstances and suffer | | | | an attitude of possibility and collaborative creativity. |
| silently; speak up, assert ourselves and argue for our | | | | - Instead of refusing to listen to your opposition's |
| position; or take action to change our situation and | | | | arguments, show sincere interest and appreciation for |
| fight for what we believe in. | | | | their point of view by active listening and asking |
| The worst strategy in any conflict situation is to | | | | clarifying questions. |
| insult your opponents, tell them they are wrong and | | | | Mind Your Language |
| promise to squash them. To try and press a lid onto | | | | Leaders are always on record. Interior Minister |
| a boiling pot of water brings about predictable results | | | | Sarcozy may become painfully aware of this fact, as |
| every time. It's the same with communication during | | | | his counterproductive rhetoric during the riots may |
| conflict. | | | | come back to haunt him during his effort to replace |
| Rather than applying counter-pressure, smart leaders | | | | Jacques Chirac as President of France. |
| seek to release tension and de-escalate conflict by | | | | As arrogant leadership rhetoric is an unfortunate but |
| adopting a collaborative communication style, focusing | | | | pervasive trait suffered by employees and citizens |
| on facts while diverting the focus from often | | | | the world over, it is a universal liability leaders of |
| heightened emotions. | | | | organizations and countries everywhere must guard |
| In the case of the French riots, Interior Minister | | | | against. |
| Sarcozy should have immediately addressed the | | | | Particularly in a conflict situation, people look to |
| rioting youths by acknowledging their frustrations and | | | | leaders for answers. They look for direction, |
| letting them know that he understands their pain and | | | | optimism, hope and comfort in the leader's words. |
| struggles. | | | | Thus, when a leader contributes to escalating a |
| Further, instead of publicly insulting the protesters and | | | | conflict with careless rhetoric rather than resolve it, |
| labeling them as "scum", he could have avoided an | | | | his credibility suffers and people's faith in his |
| increase in rioting, by clearly and demonstratively | | | | leadership may be irreversibly damaged. |
| communicating his commitment to promptly launch an | | | | To avoid such a fate in my own communication with |
| investigation into the deaths of the two immigrant | | | | others, I always think of my dear Mother's words |
| teenagers that sparked the rioting. | | | | from childhood: |
| A conciliatory next step in his conflict communication | | | | "Watch your language, young man." |
| could have been to address the need to evaluate | | | | And I do. |