Your guide to improving your team’s communication

We’ve all been communicating for as long as we can remember. We learned to write in school. And we’ve been navigating interpersonal relationships for decades. So, in theory, communicating at work should be a breeze, right?

Not quite.

How your team interacts can be the difference between a relaxed, productive, and satisfying work environment, or one of high stress, low morale, and poor results. And it’s not always easy. Work environments bring together a wide range of personalities. People won’t always see eye to eye. Even if you do, there will always be ways you and your team can communicate better.?

And why wouldn’t you want to make improvements? Better internal communication can improve your productivity by up to 25%. But where exactly do you start? Today, we’re sharing three straightforward ways to improve your team’s communication.

Focus on a single purpose

Every time you communicate, it’ll be for a purpose. Maybe it’s an email to share onboarding information with a new staff member. Or a monthly one-to-one with someone.?

Business communication gets derailed when we try to do too much at once. We juggle conversations, going off on tangents, and wonder why our message doesn’t come across. We talk around ourselves thinking we’re saying a lot. In reality, we’re sharing very little actionable, relevant information.

Instead, you want to stay focused on a single purpose. Ask yourself: who am I talking to? And what is the desired outcome of this exchange? If you want the answer to a specific question, make that the main point. Don’t ask a million questions at once.

And this purpose should be understood by everyone involved. Don’t be afraid to start a phone call, email, or meeting by outlining what you’re after. What should everyone be clear about by the end? It could be a meeting where you’re laying out the next steps in your marketing strategy. So make sure it ends with everyone knowing what they need to do next. This way, you can all stay focused, respect one another’s time, and keep all communications on track.

Normalise feedback?

One of the best ways to avoid office friction is to normalise feedback. We’re all works in progress. And consistent feedback is how we evolve and push ourselves to be better. This is a two-way street, too. Staff should be able to voice concerns or problems without fearing repercussions or a tense atmosphere.

And as a leader, it’s your responsibility to set an example. So request feedback often. Show your team that you’re always ready to improve and hear what you can change. When giving feedback yourself, be clear, detailed, and constructive.?

By making it a daily occurrence, you frame feedback as positive and motivating, not awkward or uncomfortable. Through honesty and transparency, you ensure every member of your team feels seen, heard, and appreciated for their views. And that you’re all on a journey of improvement together. What does this do for your communication? It gets people used to airing their thoughts constructively. That should create a calmer atmosphere, and one that’s productive.

Learn communication styles

Life would be a lot easier if we all approached communication the same way. But unfortunately, we don’t. We all have different preferences and quirks. Some of us can’t imagine anything worse than sitting on a Zoom call every morning. Others would take this in a heartbeat over a morning of sending emails back and forth.

The trick to communicating better is to get to know other people’s communication styles. One colleague might be decisive and efficient. They want to know important information quickly so they can get going as soon as possible. Another might be talkative and enthusiastic. They love bouncing around ideas and taking their time to digest what you’re saying.

Neither is objectively good or bad. But not acknowledging these different communication styles can be detrimental. You want to be switching up how you communicate depending on the person. The length and timing of exchanges, the detail you go into, and the channels of communication you use should all consider the needs of the other person.?

We love tools such as the DISC system or Myers-Briggs personality profiling for understanding what you and your colleagues need from one another.

It’s easy to take communication for granted. But even though we all communicate on a daily basis, it doesn't mean we haven’t got room to be better. Your team dynamic is critical to the success of your organisation. So it’s always worth exploring ways you can better communicate and collaborate.

At Coster Content, we’re experts in all things communication. If your team’s struggling to connect, or miscommunications keep slowing you down, get in touch. Our coaching services will get you on the same page in no time. To find out more, contact us on 0161 413 8418.