Communication is essential for any team to work effectively, but it can be challenging to achieve when your team members are working remotely, across different time zones, or on different projects. How can you fix this problem and improve your team's collaboration and productivity? Here are some tips to help you.
The first step is to understand what kind of communication your team needs to succeed. Do you need to share updates, feedback, ideas, or decisions? How often and how urgently? What are the best channels and formats for each type of communication? You can use a tool like the RACI matrix to define the roles and responsibilities of each team member and the level of communication they need for each task.
The main problem with communication is no communication. It is the responsibility of the leader to understand the communication needs of the team and address them accordingly. 3 Golden Rules of Communication are: 1. Team/ project communication should be often. 2. Escalations/ issues should be a priority. 3. Business communication on a need basis. Let the team know that you are available to listen, understand, and resolve issues, if any. With these small steps, you build a culture of openness and transparency leading to building Trust in the team.
When there are communication issues, I find it can be because of either too much communication, and messages are lost in the noise, or too little communication. Each situation demands a very different approach. So firstly, understand what each team needs, and the personality of the teams. It may be short quick updates with leads to where to get deeper insights when time permits, if the team is under extreme time pressure, or it can be lengthier meetings and calls to discuss pressing issues. Understanding the needs of the team and the importance of each message means you have a clearer scope of where to post valuable communication and everyone knows where to find it. It also means FYI's don't cloud urgent notices that need attention.
The next step is to select the tools that will enable your team to communicate effectively. There are many cloud-based collaboration software options available, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, or Asana. These tools can help you create dedicated channels for different topics, projects, or teams, as well as share files, documents, calendars, and tasks. You can also use video conferencing tools, such as Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet, to have face-to-face meetings and build rapport. However, you should avoid using too many tools or switching between them frequently, as this can cause confusion and inefficiency.
Every organization has some cloud-based collaborative tools for better communication within the teams, across the teams, and the organization. Make use of these tools to have a dedicated channel for communication. While using such a platform be sure to share information that will help the team to work collaboratively. Irrelevant or non-significant information shared through such a channel leads to non-engagement in the communication. Share information that is important, relevant, and valuable to the team. The team should be always checking the channel to look for important updates regarding the team, process, or projects. With this communication approach, a leader should become valuable, and the team should seek suggestions or guidance.
The third step is to set clear expectations and norms for your team's communication. You should communicate the purpose, frequency, and duration of each type of communication, as well as the preferred channels and formats. You should also agree on the response time, the tone, and the etiquette for each communication. For example, you can decide when to use email, chat, or phone, how to address each other, how to give and receive feedback, and how to handle conflicts or disagreements.
The fourth step is to encourage active participation and feedback from your team members. You should make sure that everyone has a chance to speak, listen, and contribute to the communication. You can use techniques such as asking open-ended questions, summarizing key points, acknowledging different perspectives, and soliciting feedback. You should also provide regular and constructive feedback to your team members, as well as ask for their feedback on how to improve your communication.
A team member has something to share either on a project or an input or an idea. It is the responsibility of the leader to encourage active participation of the team and support them in the communication. In a meeting, change your style and approach based on the purpose of the meeting. If you want to make an announcement, then share it in a meeting. Any business update then share the communication through mail. If you want to solve a problem or seek inputs then use different techniques by asking open-ended questions, acknowledging inputs, and navigating to a solution or a decision. Facilitate discussion and encourage inputs through participation.
The final step is to monitor and evaluate your communication and its impact on your team's performance. You should track the quality, quantity, and timeliness of your communication, as well as the satisfaction, engagement, and productivity of your team members. You can use tools such as surveys, polls, or analytics to measure these indicators and identify any gaps or issues. You should also review and adjust your communication strategy and tools as needed, based on the feedback and results.
SETTLE STORMING AND COMMUNICATION UPGRADE The first thing to do is to identify the cause of the difficult in communication ; could it be team storming? Equipment default,or cloud problems? Information gathering; and survey on respondents or team members on communication risks assessment is important,and possible solution. Through the survey effective communication process will be fashioned whether the communication problem is internal through storming or external, through equipment default or cloud.lf it is internal the processes of invoking the organizational norms, sanctions,and policies will help; but if it is external,the network satellites should be improved and upgraded for efficient service delivery.