The Delicate Dynamics of Team Communication

When you are given the privilege of leading a team, you are being given the responsibility for more than just the task in hand. You are the person in charge of people, not things!

With that comes great responsibility, and communication is the key to unlock the possibilities of that amazing group of individuals that make up your team. 

Here's a few strategies to help you with communication that I learned and have put together from my own experiences in a wide array of leadership roles. 

Listen: Surely the best bit of advice I ever received from my mentors. first, listen. The best tool any leader has in their kit is the ability to listen to their team, and form ideas with them to solve problems, foster innovation and encourage growth through empowerment.

Be present: If you are going to spend time with someone, BE PRESENT. There is nothing more deflating that trying to impart an issue, where the person listening has one eye on their computer screen, one eye on their phone screen and this tells the person that they are less important than anything that comes through those! Giving someone space to feel noticed, needed and valued will nurture trust.

Compassionate leadership culture: Ensure that leaders actively support and model effective communication behaviours, using tools to de-escalate issues early and deal with problems decisively. Provide leadership training to enhance communication skills, and awareness of the demographic to be more inclusive.

Team identity: By having a sense of belonging, this allows for stronger buy-in and accountability for anything you communicate out! If your team doesn’t have an identity, choose one between you and own it!

Establish easy to access, clear communication methods: Define and communicate the preferred channels for different types of communication and be consistent in delivery. Personal delivery for formal updates with a written follow-up, or messaging for quick questions.

Set clear expectations: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities within your team, and have established expectations for response times to emails or messages. communication.

Encourage open communication: Evolve your culture where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment, or retribution. Schedule and give space to regular team meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and updates.

Active listening: Train team members in active listening skills to ensure they understand each other. Building trust and rapport to allow for honest communication will encourage ideas, generate innovation and normalises the giving and receiving of feedback. Using paraphrasing and summarising really helps to confirm understanding during discussions.

Provide constructive feedback: Foster a culture and an environment where constructive feedback is encouraged and viewed as an opportunity for growth for the individual, and the team.

Cultural sensitivity: Be mindful of cultural differences within the team and encourage inclusion actively forming an environment where everyone's perspective is valued.

Team-building activities: Using team-building activities to help team members get to know each other on a personal level, being aware that this must be an inclusive activity where everyone can be involved. This helps to grow a sense of camaraderie through shared experiences.

Coaching & mentoring: Conduct regular 1-1 or supervision sessions with team members to understand their concerns, challenges, and goals, addressing any issues promptly to prevent them from escalating.

Celebrate achievements: By recognising and celebrating individual and team achievements really drives to boost morale and builds the team identity. As well as team achievements, acknowledge the value of each team member's contributions, not just the wins!

Conflict resolution: Establish a structured approach to resolving conflicts within the team, and a method of raising issues early. Encourage open dialogue and offer structured mediation when conflicts arise.

Creating an environment that fosters effective communication, strengthens relationships, and enhances overall team dynamics and cohesion. It is important to regularly review, readjust and reassess your approach based on feedback.