Communication is key in ANY relationship. Creating good communication with your team will guarantee quality and efficiency. Miscommunication can hold back projects, cause inefficient distribution of workload and decrease the overall productivity of the team.
Creating good communication channels and making sure your team has the support they need along with a great workplace culture will make a happier and more productive team.
Make communication more effective
Have One-on-One interactions. Studies have shown that some people understand better when you talk to them on a one-on-one basis. These interactions help employee engagement. You can use this time to set your expectations and needs, your project demands, what are the norms of your company. Make sure you listen to what they have to say and find out what their needs and expectations are as well. Maintain eye contact with them and ensure you get the message through.
Encourage two-way feedback. Very often leaders end up turning the conversation into a one-way dialogue. Giving your team members space to express their opinions and concerns is crucial for good communication. Two-way feedback allows both you and your team to better understand each other, creating an environment of growth and productivity.
Show appreciation! Let your team know you care about them and that you are thankful for their work. This makes them feel that they matter and that they are making a positive impact on your business. It encourages communication and creates a safe and healthy environment. When your team members feel appreciated, heard, and worthy, they are more motivated, productive and determined to help you succeed!
Meetings
Use the time wisely. Make sure that your meetings are well organized and focussed so that you can get more done in less time. No one likes to be in a meeting that drags on for too long.
Be clear about responsibilities. Delegating tasks well is essential, and by giving team members the ability to “own” their projects will keep them accountable, which is just as important. Every person in your team needs to know their roles, responsibilities and deadlines. Make sure you give clear directives instead of a simple request. Instead of using phrases like “Hey, it would be nice if you could do this,” try saying “Hey, please do that.”
Be open to feedback. Clear and detailed, constructive criticism helps improve productivity, update or enhance procedures and clarify doubts. Taking the time to really listen to and take feedback into account will make you a better leader and give you tools to improve your management style and get better results for your business.
Boost Moral
Water cooler talk. If you use a team communication tool such as Slack; use your General channel (or dedicate another one) to random chats about silly stuff. This will allow your team members to connect in another way other than “just work” and it will help build good communication.
PRAISE for a job well done. As I’ve said before making sure your team members feel appreciated is important and helps to build a great relationship. Find out how they like to be acknowledged (they may each need a different way – not everyone wants to be acknowledged publicly). Be aware that people are different and try to get to know each of your team members on a more personal level. That way you can treat them how they would like to be treated. When you take the time to get to know them like that it shows that you care and respect them individually.
Send gifts. On special occasions or team celebrations sending a little gift shows that you think and care about them. The feeling of having a “work family” makes people more dedicated and invested in the success of projects and the business itself.
Systems to use for remote communication
When working with remote teams, communication systems are essential and need to be well used. Everyone needs to be on the same page and aware of the project’s progress. There are so many cool types of software that you can use for that.
Slack is a great chat platform. It allows you to create organized chat groups, or private messages, sorted by topic. All the content, including files, conversations and people are searchable.
Project Management platforms are the best way to keep every team member aware of the progress of tasks and projects. Being able to see your responsibilities, deadlines, how are you working with and how is it that the project moves through the team gives everyone an overall view of what’s happening and allows the team to be on the same page.
Zoom is a great too for Individual or group calls (with you or between your team members). It is especially important to maintain communication on remote teams and tools like zoom help to get more of the “in-person” communication feeling.
Loom can be used to answer questions about processes by creating a quick screen sharing video walkthrough. Much easier and more functional than trying to describe by writing.
Need help communicating and building a good relationship with your team? Let’s chat!
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