DO YOU TRAUMMUNICATE?
Beyond Words: How Trauma-Informed Communication Can Build Trust, Belonging, and Strengthen Support.
I recently watched a YouTube talk where Dr. Gregory Mazzeo, Psy.D., began his talk on inclusive language with a familiar childhood phrase: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This is a phrase many of us grew up hearing, meant to insulate us from the “sting” of words. That said, in today’s complex and high-stakes workplaces, the truth is quite the opposite. The words, tone, and communication structure can lead to negative consequences.
Words, especially in leadership, hold extraordinary power. The language we choose can either build bridges of trust and inclusion or create barriers of distrust and the questioning of belonging. While all of this is true, in leadership, it’s beyond words.
Effective communication is about understanding and managing the full spectrum of human expression, it’s about fostering emotional intelligence (EQ), verbal, non-verbal and even written communication.
That’s why our team developed an inclusive language tool called Traummunicate™, a trauma-informed communication tool that acknowledges real-lived experiences, strengths, and perceived support while at the same time reduces conflicts, and powers performance.
What is Traummunicate™ (verb)? A structured approach for leaders to adeptly engage in trauma-informed communication and show respectful interactions across diverse contexts.
The Structured approach to crucial conversations (IGRIP):
Intention Clarity – Prior to meeting with an employee (i.e., performance feedback, one-to-one, performance evaluation, etc.), we must seek to clearly understand why we want to have this conversation. For example, if we want to meet an employee for a performance issue, we might ask ourselves, “Is this a performance issue or a personality issue?” Referring to the example, both can be effectively managed through coaching, yet leaders must understand that personality is often measured by the leader's standards. So do we even need to have the conversation?
Goal Identification – Once we have clarity to the intention of the conversation, we then need to know what specific outcomes we want from the engagement; ensuring it’s mutually beneficial for both you and the individual with which you are meeting.
Relationship Dynamic – Reflect on previous conversations you have had with your employee or associate. What is the strength of the relationship? Consider this, especially if we tend to have misalignment, mistrust, etc. How might this employee be traummunicating what has not healed (becoming dysregulated during engagements) or reacting emotionally to tough conversations?
Informed awareness – Here, we should create an awareness as to what additional resources or information might be needed to have this conversation (i.e., employee assistance program, etc.). How might I cultivate a cultural awareness to the person I’m meeting with in order to engage in a successful “crucial conversation”?
*Cultural Intelligence is vital to function effectively in intercultural contexts. Trauma-Informed Leaders understand the importance of cultural differences, and seek to learn how to communicate most effectively with people from all backgrounds.
Potential consequences – It is important to understand what could happen, both from a positive perspective and also from the lens of the conversation potentially not going the way we had hoped. Think about how a positive resolution to the conversation may impact relationships, future productivity, and engagement. Also reflect on what could occur with your relationships as a leader and what impact a negative interaction could have on the team as a whole.
When a leader makes an effort to Traummunicate™ with sincerity and authenticity, it has a positive effect on every aspect of the organization from productivity and profitability to engagement and commitment.
1. Learn more about Traummunicate™ by visiting our website at www.situationaltraummunication.com/traummunicatestm and then head to our resources page to grab free resources/exercises.
2. Download our FREE exercise on Traummunicate™, where we share how our inclusive language tool aligns with the Harrison Assessment®, a behavioral traits instrument. Visit: https://www.situationaltraummunication.com/resources
3. Want to learn more about Trauma-Informed Leadership? Visit my article here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ryangallik_traumainformedleadership-traummunicate-situationaltraummunication-activity-7313963874607665152-prwA?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB-0ZAcB73SX-B7IPGmjTadXPWBL7pVD48A
Written By: Ryan S. Gallik, Managing Partner of The Mental Hygiene Project.
