Strong teams need effective communication. If your team is experiencing breakdowns you might want to review your communication style. Directives need to be clear and concise and the better you communicate with your team, the more productive they will be.
Here are some examples of ineffective, grey communication.
Assumption
Your team members may have many talents, but mind reading isn’t one of them. Spoon feeding them information, keeping them in the dark or on a “need to know” basis only inhibits their creativity. When people don’t feel like they are a part of the team, they have lower morale
Changing your mind
Everyone is entitled to change their mind. But when you do, make sure to have a team meeting or send an email to notify everyone of the new directive. If you find you change your mind often, you may need to do more brainstorming and planning before executing an idea that you aren’t ready to launch.
Unclear goals
If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know how to get there. And neither will your team. Does your team understand the overall goal and objectives of the organization? When the entire organization understands the purpose and objectives of the company, they will be more motivated and work towards the common goal.
Unclear roles
Do all of your team members know their role? Make sure that your team members have written job descriptions so that they understand exactly what they should be doing. By communicating everyone’s responsibility, you will reduce the chance of people stepping on each other’s toes, or worse, things slipping through the cracks.
Information Overload
As detrimental as lack of information can be to a team, information overload can be just as bad. Giving too much detail can confuse and frustrate people. Make sure your team has the necessary information to complete their tasks.
Effective communication can make or break your team. If there are problems with morale or productivity, it’s time to review your communication style and ensure information is black and white. Speak to your coach to get your communication top notch and effective to create that ideal dream team.