Maximizing Communication Strengths on Your Team

In any organization, communication is a core driver of success, but tapping into this strength requires a strategic mindset from leaders. Members of a team with a talent for communication aren’t just capable of conveying messages clearly, they’re natural connectors who foster collaboration, build trust, and inspire action. As leaders, understanding how to amplify this strength can elevate your entire team’s performance and create a workplace culture where engagement and collaboration thrive.

Identifying Communication Talent

When a team member has communication as a key strength, it shows. They’re often the ones who clarify details, ask clarifying questions in meetings, bridge differences between departments, and ensure that everyone is aligned to goals and priorities. These individuals don’t just talk, they also actively listen. They use their listening skills to effectively understand and translate information to help others understand and contribute.

Identifying and nurturing this talent starts with recognizing when a communicator steps up, particularly when they bring clarity and calm in times of confusion or connect people across silos.

Leveraging Communicators as Connectors

Communicators are invaluable in creating alignment, so consider these strategies to maximize their impact:

1. Engage Them in Cross-Departmental Initiatives: Put their skills as connectors to work. Encourage them to share insights across departments. When a project requires input from multiple teams, communicators are often the best people to ensure everyone stays on the same page and feels connected to the mission.
2. Encourage Them as Meeting Facilitators: Communicators excel at fostering discussion and making sure everyone is heard. Assign them as facilitators in team meetings or discussions. Their ability to clarify objectives, summarize ideas, and keep the conversation flowing is invaluable in ensuring that meetings drive actionable results.
3. Leverage Their Strength in Written Communication: Many communicators excel at written communication too. For those with this strength, encourage them to summarize project updates, provide internal newsletters, or even draft messaging for the team or organization. Their talent in making complex ideas clear can benefit the entire organization.
4. Empower Them as Change Champions: Communicators can help translate organizational changes in ways that resonate with each team member. They know how to read the room and provide reassurance, making them natural champions when changes need to be understood and embraced. Leaders can use their skills to foster acceptance of new ideas, policy updates, or shifts in organizational direction.

Complementing Communication with Other Strengths

The best results come when communicators work alongside individuals with complementary strengths. Here’s how leaders can make the most of these dynamics:

• Pair with Analytical Thinkers to ensure that data-driven insights are understood. Analytical team members excel at dissecting details, while communicators bring these insights to life, sharing the “why” behind decisions with clarity.
• Partner with Activators to create momentum. Activators are ready to jump in and move forward; a communicator can ensure everyone is aligned and clear as to next steps.
• Align with those with a Responsibility strength to ensure ideas are followed through. Responsible team members ensure commitments are met, while communicators keep engagement high and clarify any hurdles or updates.
• Support team members with Significance to connect individual contributions to the larger mission. Communicators are essential in translating purpose into motivation, helping team members feel their work matters.

Maximize Communication

For leaders, maximizing the communication strengths of team members means more than just encouraging them to talk. It involves giving them meaningful opportunities to connect, align, and inspire the organization. By nurturing communicators to step up as facilitators, champions of change, and connectors across departments, leaders can drive engagement and set the foundation for a highly collaborative, productive team culture.