Constructive Dialogue

Continuous dialogue between team leaders and team members forms the basis of working together successfully and leading fairly and transparently. Through dialogue, ongoing routines and future objectives are discussed and agreed upon.

On this website, you can find instructions to prepare, engage in, and document constructive dialogues.

Guiding principles

University of Basel faculty and staff will maintain an appreciative dialogue between one another.
Faculty and staff with leadership roles are responsible for the effective and sustained success of their unit and team members.
Faculty and staff with leadership roles aspire to a fair, transparent, and cooperative leadership style. They maintain a dialogue with their team members on equal footing and guarantee the lasting success of their team or unit and the University of Basel as a whole.

Fair, cooperative leadership style | The tools provided by Training and Development promote the University of Basel’s favored style of communication and collaboration, that is, for team leaders to challenge and support team members in their work. link.zoom

Constructive dialogue

Prepare

Focus on the issue at hand
Refer to your own, first-hand observations
Describe your observations concisely and fairly
Use positive, respectful wording

One on one dialogue

Talk directly to the team member concerned
Discuss the issue confidentially – not in public, at a team meeting or on the lab floor.

Use concise wording

What, precisely have I observed?
Which aspect of this issue would I like to focus on?
Examples for useful wordings:
– «I have noticed that…».
– «I am glad …».
– «It is my concern that…».

Listen carefully

Allow the team member to illustrate his or her point of view.
Listen attentively to what the team member has to say and ask for clarifications.
If necessary, redirect the team member back to the issue at hand.

Focus on solutions

Do not dwell on shortcomings
Focus on the issue at hand
Team leader and team member collaborate on a positive outcome.

Any follow up necessary?

Who is responsible for setting the next steps in motion?
List the respective to-dos with a time frame.
Is there any extra support or particular tools necessary to work on the solution?