2.3 Explain the potential impact of own and others’ behaviour and attitudes on the quality of communication and interactions

This guide will help you answer 2.3 Explain the potential impact of own and others’ behaviour and attitudes on the quality of communication and interactions.

The way people behave and the attitudes they show have a powerful effect on communication and interactions in health and social care. Your words, tone, facial expressions and actions all send messages. The same is true for others. This unit examines how your behaviour and attitudes, as well as those of others, might affect the quality of communication and relationships with people you support, colleagues, and families.

Understanding this helps you improve your practice, build trust, avoid misunderstanding, and provide better care.

Defining Behaviour and Attitude

Behaviour means what people do. It includes your actions, body language, speech, gestures and how you respond to situations. Simple behaviours include smiling, keeping eye contact, and nodding. They can also include more negative actions, like frowning, interrupting or turning your back.

Attitude is your mindset or feelings towards someone or something. A positive attitude shows care, interest and respect. A negative attitude can look like frustration, boredom, or unfair judgement.

Both behaviour and attitude are visible to others. They can encourage positive interaction or create barriers. In health and social care, both can have a strong impact on those you support and those you work with.

How Behaviour Affects Communication

Your behaviour sets the tone for conversation. People you support will notice how you act, even before they hear what you say. Behaviour can make someone feel welcome, listened to, or valued. It can also make them feel ignored, judged, or upset.

Positive behaviours include:

• Smiling
• Making eye contact
• Facing the person directly
• Nodding or using gestures to show you are listening
• Speaking clearly and calmly
• Using open body language (arms not folded, relaxed posture)
• Giving your full attention and not being distracted by phones or paperwork

These behaviours help people feel safe, included and confident to speak up. This encourages more open conversations and lets people express wishes, worries, and choices.

Poor behaviour includes:

• Frowning or pulling faces
• Sighing, rolling your eyes, tapping fingers
• Turning away or not facing the person
• Crossing your arms or appearing closed-off
• Checking your phone, watch or other distractions
• Speaking too fast, too loud, or in a harsh tone
• Interrupting or finishing people’s sentences

Poor behaviour can leave people feeling anxious, embarrassed or disrespected. It can stop someone sharing concerns about their care or needs. Poor communication can lead to mistakes, complaints, and a lack of trust.

Impact of Attitude on Communication

Your attitude shapes how you relate to others. It can influence how you handle stress, resolve conflicts, or respond to the needs and feelings of others.

A caring, open, and respectful attitude helps create a non-judgemental atmosphere. It builds trust. People can share sensitive information without fear. They feel supported and valued.

A negative attitude can show in small ways. You might appear uninterested or unwilling to help. You may focus on problems rather than finding solutions. People may sense a lack of warmth, understanding or patience. This erodes confidence and creates communication blocks.

Attitudes such as prejudice (holding unfair opinions about someone due to age, gender, culture, or disability) can have damaging effects. It can lead to exclusion or poor care.

Examples of positive attitudes in practice:

• Showing respect for people’s backgrounds, beliefs and choices
• Being patient with those who struggle to communicate
• Treating mistakes as learning opportunities rather than blaming

Examples of negative attitudes:

• Making assumptions (e.g., thinking an older person can’t use a mobile)
• Stereotyping (e.g., believing all teenagers are difficult)
• Failing to listen because you’ve decided someone is ‘difficult’

The Role of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness means understanding how your own mood, feelings, and stress can affect your behaviour and communication. Being aware of your feelings helps you control reactions and act professionally.

For example:

If you feel stressed but do not recognise it, you might appear short-tempered or distracted. You may snap at someone without meaning to. If you know you feel stressed, you can take a moment, breathe deeply and approach people with more patience.

Self-awareness helps you:

• Pause and think before reacting
• Reflect on your body language
• Check if you are listening and responding fairly
• See if your attitude or mood is showing
• Adjust your approach if needed

Discussing reflections with a mentor or in supervision also helps you learn and improve over time.

Impact on Service Users

Service users are at the heart of health and social care. Your behaviour and attitude can shape their experience and feelings of safety, dignity, and independence.

Positive impact:

• A calm, friendly approach can help people relax and trust you
• Showing optimism and encouragement supports motivation and hope
• Being empathetic and respectful builds confidence and wellbeing
• Listening carefully lets people express choices and take part in their care

Negative impact:

• Rushed or impatient behaviour can make service users feel like a burden
• Lack of interest or warmth may add to confusion or isolation
• A judgemental attitude can reduce self-esteem and prevent people from seeking help

People using services may already feel vulnerable. Negative experiences can put them off asking for support or lead to withdrawal, stress, or even harm.

Impact on Colleagues

Behaviour and attitude affect relationships within the team as well. Caring work depends on good teamwork and clear, honest communication.

When colleagues treat each other with respect, kindness, and openness:

• People are more likely to support one another in tough times
• Misunderstandings are less likely
• Learning and improvement happen more naturally
• Work is more enjoyable

Negative attitudes, such as blaming, gossip, or lack of cooperation can:

• Create tension
• Cause mistakes
• Lower morale
• Lead to high staff turnover

Good communication with the team means sharing important information, being clear about roles, and supporting one another through challenges. Positive behaviour sets an example for less experienced staff and new starters.

The Role of Culture and Background

Everyone’s culture and upbringing shape their behaviour and attitudes. In diverse workplaces, there are many different ways to greet, show respect, or solve conflicts.

Cultural misunderstandings may happen if workers do not recognise that not all people express feelings or agreement in the same way. For example:

• Some cultures see eye contact as a sign of honesty; others see it as rude
• Some people use touch to show empathy; others prefer not to be touched
• The way people express pain, worry, or disagreement may differ

Being open to learning about other cultures and being curious rather than judgemental helps communication. Ask service users and colleagues about their preferences. This supports dignity, choice, and person-centred care.

The Influence of Hierarchy and Power

Roles and responsibilities affect how behaviours and attitudes are expressed. Managers, team leaders, and experienced staff set the tone for others.

People in authority have a responsibility to act fairly, listen to all viewpoints, and provide support. If someone misuses their position by shouting or criticising, it damages trust and the willingness to collaborate.

Workers may feel unable to speak up if they sense negative attitudes higher up. This can block communication and stop concerns from being raised.

Empowering everyone to speak, ask questions, and share ideas leads to safer practice and better relationships.

Putting Theory into Practice

Promoting better behaviour and attitudes involves reflection, feedback, and a commitment to personal growth.

Strategies you can use:

• Take time to reflect on your daily communication. Did you treat everyone with respect? Did your body language match your words?
• Ask for and accept feedback from service users and colleagues.
• Attend training sessions on communication and equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Use supervision to discuss situations that feel challenging.
• Practise patience, especially in stressful situations.
• Stay aware of non-verbal behaviour like posture, facial expression and tone.
• Apologise when you get things wrong and learn from the experience.

These habits help maintain high standards and let you provide quality care, even in busy or difficult environments.

The Effects on Outcomes

When the quality of communication and interactions is high, you will often see:

• Increased trust between staff and the people they support
• Fewer complaints and misunderstandings
• Staff feel happier and more valued
• People using services feel empowered and able to participate in their care
• Better team working and knowledge sharing
• Clearer information about risks, preferences, and support needs
• Improved outcomes, such as safety, health and wellbeing

If behaviours and attitudes create communication barriers, these benefits are lost. Problems go unreported. People feel undervalued. Staff feel stressed and unsupported. This can affect both mental and physical health.

Barriers and Challenges

There are times when it is not easy to maintain positive behaviour or attitude. You might feel tired or rushed. You may disagree with a colleague. You may find it hard to relate to someone from a very different background.

Common barriers include:

• Lack of time
• High workload
• Emotional stress
• Lack of training or support
• Personal worries unrelated to work

Being aware of these challenges can help you plan and ask for help. Self-care, peer support, and regular breaks can make a real difference.

Examples from Practice

Example 1:

A support worker notices a service user is quiet and withdrawn. They sit beside them with open posture, use gentle tone and ask open questions. Their behaviour is calm and patient, which encourages the service user to open up about feeling lonely. This leads to a care plan review and improved support.

Example 2:

A care worker feels under pressure and snaps at a colleague, criticising them in front of others. The colleague feels embarrassed and less willing to ask questions. Communication in the team suffers until the situation is discussed in a team meeting and relationships are repaired.

The Duty to Model Good Behaviour

As a health and social care worker, you model good attitudes and behaviour both to people using services and to colleagues. Your professionalism sets an example. It supports the reputation of the organisation. It makes the care environment safer and more pleasant for everyone.

Following codes of conduct and organisational values is part of professional practice. Being honest, reliable, and respectful is expected at all times.

Final Thoughts

Your behaviour and attitudes matter. They create the conditions for effective communication with everyone in health and social care—service users, families, and colleagues. Positive behaviour and attitude foster trust, dignity, and collaboration. Problems happen when behaviour and attitude are negative, careless, or judgemental.

Change begins with self-awareness and reflection. By thinking about your communication style and seeking feedback, you can keep growing in your role. You help colleagues and the people you support feel respected, safe, and understood.

Remember, every word, look and action counts. A small kindness or a patient response can make a lasting difference. By choosing to act respectfully and positively, even under pressure, you raise the quality of care and set the highest standards for yourself and your team.