The Science of Communication: Insights for Leaders in a Digital Age

05/16/23 • 59 min

#32 - Why does it bother us so much when we aren’t understood? In this episode, we explore the philosophy and science behind effective communication. Shane discusses how his background in philosophy informs CultureSmith’s work, why understanding communication is crucial for leaders, and how our Cognitive Colour informs how we encode and decode messages. We dive into the sources of miscommunication, why they make us feel so bad, and the importance of adapting communication styles to fit individual team members. Then, we explore the ways non-verbal communication impacts us both in person and digitally. Shane shares insights on using silence, storytelling, and radical candor as tools, and how leaders can navigate complex emotions at home. Finally, we touch on managing emotional states to ensure clear communication both at work and at home.

If you have follow-up questions, you can always reach us at [email protected].

To learn more about today’s topic, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/

https://www.culturesmithinc.com/

Show Notes:

[00:30] How philosophy ties into the work Shane does.
[04:45] Why understanding the science of communication is an essential leadership skill.
[06:30] Where miscommunication comes from.
[09:30] How we encode and decode differently based on our Cognitive Colour.
[16:10] Is there one Cognitive Colour that has less miscommunication?
[17:50] How leaders can adapt their communication style to fit their team.
[23:50] In today’s busy world, how do we do this without overwhelming our team and ourselves?
[26:20] Good communication helps leaders foster empathy.
[29:00] How to communicate clearly using digital mediums.
[32:30] Optimizing our non-verbal communication.
[33:40] How to use silence as a powerful communication tool.
[38:30] Radical candor and its role in the home.
[43:20] How to navigate the more complex emotions present at home.
[46:40] How to use storytelling to get your message across.
[51:00] How can we manage our emotional state to ensure we’re communicating what we intended?

Mentioned in this Episode:

Subscribe to CultureSmith's Newsletter: https://www.culturesmithinc.com/
Shane Wallace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/
Morgan Berna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-berna/

If you have follow-up questions, you can always reach us at [email protected].

To learn more about today’s topic, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/

https://www.culturesmithinc.com/

Show Notes:

[00:30] How philosophy ties into the work Shane does.
[04:45] Why understanding the science of communication is an essential leadership skill.
[06:30] Where miscommunication comes from.
[09:30] How we encode and decode differently based on our Cognitive Colour.
[16:10] Is there one Cognitive Colour that has less miscommunication?
[17:50] How leaders can adapt their communication style to fit their team.
[23:50] In today’s busy world, how do we do this without overwhelming our team and ourselves?
[26:20] Good communication helps leaders foster empathy.
[29:00] How to communicate clearly using digital mediums.
[32:30] Optimizing our non-verbal communication.
[33:40] How to use silence as a powerful communication tool.
[38:30] Radical candor and its role in the home.
[43:20] How to navigate the more complex emotions present at home.
[46:40] How to use storytelling to get your message across.
[51:00] How can we manage our emotional state to ensure we’re communicating what we intended?

Mentioned in this Episode:

Subscribe to CultureSmith's Newsletter: https://www.culturesmithinc.com/
Shane Wallace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/
Morgan Berna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-berna/

Previous Episode

The 3 Surprising Benefits of Imposter Syndrome

#31 - Imposter syndrome – we’ve all heard the term, but what does it actually mean? In this episode, we discuss the key differences between imposter syndrome and insecurity. Shane shares the 5 types of imposter syndrome, how our Cognitive Colours impact our experience with imposter syndrome, and how to overcome it. Plus, we explore the different ways imposter syndrome acts as a benefit for us both professionally and personally. Then, Shane shares his advice for parents looking to model resilient behaviour at home.

If you have follow-up questions, you can always reach us at [email protected].

To learn more about today’s topic, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/

https://www.culturesmithinc.com/

Show Notes:

[00:55] Stories from the past week: Getting sick, TENS machines, and more.
[05:25] What actually is imposter syndrome?
[08:25] The impacts of imposter syndrome on professional growth and personal fulfillment.
[11:15] The 5 types of imposter syndrome.
[16:55] Which professions experience imposter syndrome the most.
[18:45] How to recognize if it’s imposter syndrome vs insecurity.
[21:50] How our Cognitive Colour affects how we feel imposter syndrome.
[25:15] How to cope with imposter syndrome based on your Cognitive Colour.
[26:50] Why imposter syndrome is a benefit in today’s work climate.
[28:50] How imposter syndrome helps leaders improve emotional intelligence.
[30:50] Should today’s leaders be worried about becoming obsolete?
[33:55] Using imposter syndrome to strengthen resilience in the workplace.
[37:25] How this manifests in marriage, relationships, and family dynamics.
[40:00] Coaching someone through relationship insecurity.
[42:10] How couples can stay authentic to themselves in a world of comparison.
[45:30] How parents can model healthy behaviour?

Mentioned in this Episode:

Book a free session with CultureSmith: https://www.culturesmithinc.com/
Shane Wallace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/
Morgan Berna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-berna/

Next Episode

Avoiding Conflict is Eroding Your Team

#33 - Conflict – most of us say we don’t like it, but are we wrong? Is conflict actually the key to building stronger, more emotionally intelligent teams? We would argue yes. In this episode, Shane breaks down the key distinction between task and relationship based conflicts, and explores the different ways we use both at home and at work. Shane outlines a clear way to predict what type of conflict you’ll have and how to use conflict as a leader to build more trust and psychological safety among your team. Then, we talk about the different ways conflict happens at home and how parents can help their children become comfortable with healthy conflict.

If you have follow-up questions, you can always reach us at [email protected].

To learn more about today’s topic, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanewallaceculturesmith/

https://www.culturesmithinc.com/

Show Notes:

[00:45] Red-Yellows and labels.
[06:15] The loneliness epidemic.
[08:45] The 2 types of conflict.
[10:45] The key differences between tasked-based conflict and relationship-based conflict.
[15:10] The problem with calling yourself conflict-avoidant.
[15:40] How each Colour instigates and avoids conflict.
[20:30] How can leaders navigate these different conflict tendencies in their teams?
[25:25] How could having conflict in meetings not cause negative tension?
[25:45] How to ask questions to keep conflict task-based.
[30:15] We are all having more conflicts than we realize.
[36:45] How to develop your emotional intelligence to the point that conflict is productive.
[42:45] How to use storytelling to connect through a conflict.
[46:20] Concepts to know about conflict in the home.
[47:25] How to signal to a partner that you need attention before it turns into a conflict.
[53:40] How to ease tension and maintain connection during a conflict.
[57:35] How parents can get kids comfortable with healthy conflict.

Mentioned in this Episode: