Communication is everything in the workplace, but you know that already. What you want to know is how to improve it so your business can run more efficiently, people can work more creatively, and everyone can feel like they’re truly part of a team. Here are three concrete ways you can begin communicating better with your team at work.
Get Everyone on the Same Page
Teams are, by definition, a group of people working for a specific purpose or designated goal. Does everyone in your group feel the same way? Are they striving toward the same thing, or does it seem like everyone has their own agenda?
Continuous communication is key to ensuring that the entire team feels united under the same cause. Start a Slack group, hold a meeting and let people know you want to work well with them. Establish your goals as a group so it becomes easier to not only reach them but also help each other perform your unique duties. Find some team communication quotes that inspire you, and share them with others to help build a sense of unity and boost morale.
Use Better Tools
Every team is unique, and you have to find the right way of communicating with yours. Are you all the type who like to brainstorm with a whiteboard? Do you quickly rack up Google docs with dozens of comments, or do you find that your emails tend to go unread?
Ask your team members how they like to communicate best. You may find that virtual communication works better for you than face-to-face meetings. Nearly everyone reads their text messages within three minutes of receiving them, so a simple group chat could be the way to go.
Encourage Feedback
You cannot improve on your own insight alone. You need to hold team-building activities that strengthen your bond with other members so you’re able to better help one another grow. Learn how to give and receive feedback. Understand the difference between criticism and constructive feedback; one is designed solely to express a negative opinion while the other is meant to help someone improve. Not all criticism is necessary, but constructive feedback is geared toward creating solutions that benefit everyone involved.
Having great communication with your team at work is essential to success in the workplace. Finding your rhythm as a team takes time, but with patience, humility and a sense of humor, you and your members can achieve anything.
