1. Communicate effectively

11. Collaboration vs. confrontation

Similar to the motivational and coercive differences, collaboration and confrontation are two very different communication techniques. Using collaborative techniques in your role will help you to avoid or diffuse conflict situations and to communicate in a culturally appropriate manner.

Confrontational communication usually results from the idea that one side is better or has greater rights than the other side. It aims to demean or show a lack of interest. It includes name-calling and negative sentiments. For example, “You think you can do that? Well, you can’t. You’re useless!”

Collaborative, or cooperative, communication is the opposite of confrontational communication. It looks to build trust, understanding of shared responsibility and shared decision-making processes.

For example, asking questions like, “How do you think you’d deal with a situation where you cannot clearly communicate with someone at the store?”, “What tools or equipment have you tried to use in the past?, and “What have you found works for you now?”. The aim here is to allow the client to relate to you and see you as someone that is helpful and actively listening to them.