There is a popular saying that communication is key“The truth in this statement cannot be overemphasized. What comes to your mind when you hear team communication? Is it just an exchange of information that happens within the team or is there more to it?
Team communication transcends mere information exchange between team members. It is the interactions that the individuals on a team share with one another like emails and conversations, body language and nonverbal sounds.
We will be sharing tips on how to better team communication in the workplace
Always Have a Specific Goal
According to the English dictionary, a goal is a result one is expecting to achieve. When you begin by knowing what you want others to do, preparing your remarks will be easier and your communication will be clearer. Your goal provides the framework for what you will say.
Think Like Your Audience
Saying what you want people to know isn’t enough. It is important to also assume yourself in their position, by doing this, you will understand what they need and want and in return be able to reach out to them more effective
Clarify Your Messages
Clarity is important in team communication; always spell it out clearly for your listeners. This is to avoid ambiguity.
File-sharing Practices
Develop a system for naming and storing shared documents. That way, you avoid confusion over different versions of files and where to find documents.
Delivering Feedback
As a team, determine a process for providing feedback to one another. For example, you might meet weekly as a team to talk about is going well and what could change. Also, establish guidelines for when employees provide feedback to one another.
Socialize
Talking about things outside the workplace can increase the bonds among team members. You can decide to be friends with each other on social platforms or share something about your life—whether it’s about your kids’ antics or your opinion on your favourite sports teams or food recipes.
Address Issues Openly
If you aren’t having authentic and effective conversations with your employees, you can’t address problems. When problems go unchecked, it weighs on individuals, teams and the culture. Start having conversations—even uncomfortable ones—to ensure you’re surfacing problems and resolving them quickly.
Don’t Make Assumptions About What Your Team Wants
Most employees want a sense of purpose and meaning, development opportunities, and work-life balance. Find out what others in the team want and need by having candid discussions or engagement surveys.
Assess Workloads
Imposing employees with massive workloads can become the norm, but how do you know they are overloaded? By asking them. Let them know they can come to you if they are feeling overwhelmed.
Don’t Be Angry Over Failures
Errors cause stress, and then stress leads to more errors. Ensure team members know that failure is part of the risk, and grant them wiggle room to experiment or make mistakes. Otherwise, innovation will come to a standstill.
Do share and let us know what you think.
