Communication is the daily bread of every HRist and it is often where trust is undermined and unnecessary tension is created. According to rhetoric lecturer and stand-up comedian Radek Petráš, many HR managers make the same mistakes over and over again. How to avoid them and fully manifest the gift of the word, read now.
Speech is the most powerful weapon of HRists
Radek has been involved in the spoken word for over 12 years - whether on stage, in a communications role as a lecturer or on communications courses or corporate training. He came to rhetoric through his own frustration with courses that provided no usable guidance. So he began to teach himself: practically, clearly, without abstract lectures and, above all, in a way that helps people cope with the difficult situations they experience in communication every day.
Talk ≠ communicate
"Every HR manager can talk, but only those who think about who they are talking to can really communicate," says Petráš. Communication, he says, is not about how quickly and colourfully we pour out words. It's about what we say, to whom we say it and, most importantly, why. A good HR professional speaks differently to a job applicant, differently to management and even differently to a teammate. Petras says that the art of communication starts with listening, and especially the difference between "listening" and "hearing". While when we listen, we are already preparing a response in our heads, when we listen, we also focus on why the other person is telling me this or why they are silent. We simply go more in depth, below the surface of the spoken word.
Why HRists need rhetorical skills
A recruiter is not just a messenger of good news. He often has to say unpleasant things. Rejection, termination, feedback that's hard to listen to. It's in these moments that every word, look or body posture matters. The problem is when the HRist tries to be too nice and wraps the message in "nice sounding" words, with the meaning fading away. According to Petras, the other party often senses this and instead of trust comes uncertainty or doubt. Rhetoric in HR is not about fancy talk. It's about the art of saying things accurately, respectfully and yet directly.
In communication, it is also important how the recruiter looks, how he or she holds the body, how or where he or she sits, whether he or she is holding a paper, etc. Radek Petráš adds that it is absolutely fine, especially in potentially unpleasant situations, to say things straight. For example, "I need to discuss project XY with you. I've gotten some negative feedback on the way you're approaching it." The recruiter clearly opens the topic, doesn't start with smalltalk about coffee or the new vending machine on the second floor - just gets straight to the point. And that's what the other side appreciates. She doesn't get the feeling that something is being hidden from her or that an unexpected blow will come.
HR communication as a driver of corporate culture
According to Petráš, HR has a huge impact on the communication culture in the company - not only towards the management (vertically), but also among colleagues (horizontally). But how to improve it? Perhaps by getting HR itself to speak out, for example through stories and storytelling. "Imagine you are leading a group of newcomers who are afraid to ask anything. Instead of mentoring them, tell them a story of when you too were afraid to ask more experienced colleagues or managers, and what came out of it. You're not telling them what to do, but you're giving them instructions on how to behave in that culture," says Petráš.
But what if the leadership itself is not communicating well? This often happens in companies. According to Petráš, many managers are even aware of this, they just move it down the priority list. It is at these times that HR should take the role of initiator and come up with a proposal for training or teambuilding focused on communication, conflict management or working with stress.
"The moment you get people out of the office, without laptops and phones, into a different environment - suddenly they learn communication principles much more naturally. And then they bring them back into their everyday work," says Radek Petráš.
The important thing is to start and give the first impulse. The culture of internal communication in companies is always changing from within, often with HR.
Flattery vs. compliments or How to give feedback
Radek Petráš recommends following a simple procedure for feedback:
- Start with a specific compliment. Not in a "you're a great worker" style, but for example, "I appreciate how you handled the water situation at the conference without hesitation." What's the difference between a compliment and a compliment? You can say a compliment to anyone. A compliment is directed at a specific action by a specific person. It is factual, sincere and unchangeable, and that is why it carries weight.
- Open the topic you need to address. "I need to discuss with you a communication style that someone on the team didn't like."
This will create space for dialogue. When a person feels appreciated, it is much easier to accept even a critical message and, most importantly, to know that you are telling him or her as a person to person, not as an authority from above.
Silence as a powerful HR tool
What is one of the biggest mistakes in speaking? Speaking when we don't know what we want to say. The result is verbal cotton wool, repetition, hezitation and, most importantly, chaos on the part of the listener. Radek Petráš is clear on this:
"Silence is the best cure for all ills in communication."
The moment we stop fearing the pause, we begin to speak more clearly, more clearly - and above all, more calmly. Silence is not weakness. Silence is a space for thought.
Practical tips for HR communication training
According to Petráš, speaking can be trained. And what's even better: you don't need a stage light to do it. Just start with these tips:
- Being clear about what I want to say before I start talking.
- Record yourself on a recorder or mobile phone and listen back. It's annoying, but incredibly effective.
- To notice the emotions behind the words of others. What do they really want to tell me? What is their reason for doing so? Am I just listening right now, or am I really listening?
- Learning to work with silence can become your powerful weapon to sort out your thoughts.
Communication training is not about standing in front of a mirror and practicing gestures. It's about being aware of what I'm saying, to whom I'm saying it and why - and how it affects the other person.
Communication is the HRist's everyday tool and his most powerful weapon. There is no need to immediately pay for a course in rhetoric or aim for a perfect speech. Just start today and take small steps: simply notice how I speak, listen or work with silence. And to remind myself from time to time that every word can make a difference - even those that go unspoken.
