Boost Results with Team Communication Goals

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During this season of reflection and goal setting, a number of my clients have been thinking about communications goals for themselves and their teams. One reason is that team leaders want to work more effectively to streamline work and get to their goals faster.

The need for better communications is clear. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) points out that large companies of 100,000 or more employees lose more than $62M per year due to poor communications , and companies of 100 employees lose an average of $420,000 per year.

If your team has a goal of better communication skills, here are some ideas to the impact you’re shooting for:

Navigate Challenging Conversations

Emerging leaders serve themselves well by learning how to navigate difficult conversations that need to happen when things don’t go well. If these types of discussions are difficult for you, make it a priority to learn how. Get some books, take a class or schedule a training to uplevel your skills. The best leaders shine when they can handle challenges with grace and come to a collaborative solution. Whatever you do, don’t wait for an annual performance review to address issues that could have been completely behind you if you had tackled them in the moment.?

Become a Skilled Presenter

Warren Buffet is known for stating that improving his speaking skills accelerated his storied career. If you are uncomfortable presenting to leadership, integrate more practice into your work.?

Buddy up with a trusted colleague who can help identify any derailers that come up in meetings, such as filler words or an abrupt delivery. This kind of informal feedback can help you shine when it’s time for a big meeting with the boss.

Volunteer for task forces or other special projects that can give you the opportunity to show off your skills to a new audience at work.

Be aware of your posture and body language, particularly on video calls. You’ll be respected more if you come across as engaged by making eye contact. Yes, that little green dot can seem inauthentic, but speaking to the camera is the best way to simulate eye contact. Animate your voice and use gestures.

Uplevel Your Everyday Communications

Most communication is not for a high stakes meeting or an important presentation. Everyday communications can boost success when approached with intention and a few thoughtful steps:?

In every email, group text and meeting notice, begin with your goal. What result are you looking for? This will help you structure each piece of communications and decide what information to save for another time.

In responding to email, adopt the same results-oriented approach. Simply ping-ponging a reply to get it off your desk is not moving a project forward.

If you need more than two exchanges, schedule a brief standup to be sure everyone is on the same page and knows clearly how to move forward. Do whatever you can to shave the incessant back and forth.

Take a writing class, particularly one where you can submit your work and get specific feedback. An instructor can help you identify where you can trim the fat, punch up your verbs and structure your work for results.

Janine MacLachlan is a communications strategist and workshop designer who trains executives and rising leaders build trust and influence through clear, effective communications.

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