For those of you that celebrate Christmas and the big day is only a few sleeps away, there are a plethora of different elements that can add to Communication flare ups with Family members on the ‘Big Day’.
The first piece of advice that they have to offer is this; create a Shared Vision.
“There is no point in following a tradition of serving a 3 course hot lunch with all the trimmings if your family are going to be in and out of the pool all day and it’s 45 degrees “suggests Jaymelee. Sit down and have a conversation with your family members and provide ample opportunity for everyone to have their say in what the day will look like. Come to a consensus and create a plan of attack so that the vision can be realised. The key element to doing this is cellular listening. We show others how much we truly value them when we give all of ourselves to the act of listening. This means that we don’t keep one ear out for the cricket score!
The second suggestion is this: Communicate Expectations.
This needs to be done prior to the event – perhaps at the same time that you are planning the day, so that everyone has a clear understanding of what is required and by when. Alive & Kicking Solutions recommend that the best way to do this is gently and when you are firmly in control of your emotions. Refrain from using phrases such as “You will do….” “I’m telling you now” and “This is the way it will be or…” as they are likely to ruffle the recipient’s feathers rather than inspire them to meet the expectations required. Ensuring that you have communicated your expectations about how people will behave prior to and on the day effectively increases the chances of the shared vision coming to fruition.
Thirdly: Manage you own stress levels.
Jaymelee White from Alive & Kicking Solutions elaborates: “Christmas time has the propensity to affect your work life as the stress bubbles over impacts on your productivity. Having techniques to manage your stress levels at home can alleviate this impact”. The first two tips actually assist in building the foundation for this to happen as everyone is feeling valued and knows their part. Here are some more suggestions; take time out for you, plan plan plan,, continue your exercise and healthy eating regime, let a desire for everything to be perfect go and remember what this time of year is truly about – connecting with your family and friends.
