No matter where you work or what job you have, communication matters. We need to communicate with bosses, coworkers, and subordinates. Sometimes, workplace conversations can become contentious, due to either a difficult topic or emotions boiling over.

But why does this happen? And how can we minimize these occurrences to maintain an open and effective work environment?

Recently, more than 300 attendees joined live as HSI Chief Safety Officer Jill James and Dr. Todd Loushine, from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, hosted a spirited and educational webinar on improving communication to be a more effective safety professional.

The webinar’s recording is now available to watch on demand. Think you might be interested? Here are just a few of the topics that were discussed:

• How to approach conversations from a “seeking understanding” perspective vs. a “giving instructions” standpoint
• Recognizing how you feel physically when you get upset or frustrated, and how to identify that in others
• Acknowledging that our feelings and beliefs change our perception of a situation (find out why Jill thought a bus driver was trying to run her over!)
• Understanding the “drama triangle” of unhealthy conversations and how to avoid creating one
• Learning how to switch from an adversarial interaction to a collaborative, common-goal conversation

Visit the HSI website today for free access to this one-hour webinar. Plus, you will get access to a toolkit to assess your own skills as you listen to the recording and find resources to improve your communication skills!

And keep in mind that just because Jill and Dr. Todd are safety professionals, and this webinar might be geared toward the safety industry, everyone will be able to walk away from this lesson having learned some tips and tricks to implement in their own lives.

Watch the webinar now and access the toolkit now!