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Poor communication and its nexus to workplace conflict
Here, a barrister and moderator with over 40 years of experience in the legal field articulated the crucial importance of cultivating a positive workplace culture to avoid instances or allegations of bullying or other forms of misconduct.
Grace Robbie
In a recent episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, Max Kimber SC, a Sydney-based barrister and mediator, discussed critical and actionable strategies for law firm team leaders to implement to address and mitigate workplace bullying effectively. He underscored the significance of cultivating effective interpersonal relationships and honing communication skills among colleagues.
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Bullying in the workplace can arise from a range of factors; however, Kimber identified how poor and insufficient communication among colleagues often underpins many bullying incidents.
“It’s a lot easier to be in conflict with people who you don’t know very well,” he said.
This observation is particularly relevant in the context of contemporary communication and flexible work evolution, in which Kimber noted a growing prevalence of cyber bullying in today’s workforce.
“I make reference to cyber bullying as a lot of people will say things online because they think that’s a different world from the real world.
“Cyber bullying has become a major problem, especially among young people, because they wouldn’t say those things if they met them face to face,” he said.
To address this issue effectively, Kimber emphasised that a key recommendation for team leaders is to practise cultivating a thorough understanding of their team members and engage with them on a meaningful level.
“In terms of the workplace, getting to know your staff and making sure your staff know each other well is likely to minimise the prospect of misunderstanding and offence, whether on cultural or other lines,” he said.
“I don’t think enough work is done, especially in the early stages of team aggregation and new entrants to the workplace, to ensure that everyone gets to know each other’s likes and dislikes preferences.”
Kimber articulated that by establishing an environment where staff members feel genuinely valued and understood, law firms can substantially mitigate the risk of misunderstandings that could escalate into bullying.
“If you know people well and you care about their values, even when they’re different from yours, you’re much less likely to cause offence and much less give rise to the prospect you’ll be accused of bullying and behaving disrespectfully towards them,” he said.
One practical approach to achieving this, Kimber advocates, is for law firm leaders to implement target training programs to enhance relationship-building skills among team members.
“Firstly, get to know your people a lot better than we usually do, and there are a lot of things you can do and programs available to help you with that getting to know you phase,” he said.
Another key strategy Kimber suggests is for law firm leaders to prioritise the cultivation of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. These qualities enhance empathy and foster a profound understanding, thereby reducing bullying tendencies.
“Having been a litigator for 40 years, I’ve now read extensively on emotional intelligence, effective communication, listening, collaboration, wellness, and all these things are now de rigueur in conversation about interpersonal relationships.
“I would advise anyone running a law firm to develop their own self-awareness by reading into these ideas. This is because, with greater self-awareness, you’re more likely to be able to be empathetic and understand another point of view,” he said.
