Better Talk for Better Work
When diverse people of various abilities and personalities come together, what forges the ties that bind? Keeping everyone focused and enthusiastic poses a challenge. Consider the following ways to communicate effectively and boost your team’s productivity.
- Motivate
We all want to be wanted. Impress upon your team members that each has been handpicked to fill a specific role. Discuss their strengths and what each can contribute to the success of an upcoming project. Get everyone fired up and thinking positively.
- Clarify
When you explain a new project, lay it out in writing and then talk it over. Make your expectations crystal clear and get initial responses. Gut reactions are good indicators. What they don’t like now will hang them up later. If you’ve missed some social dynamics among the ranks, better to find out now and make some alterations.
- Document
Require team members to account for achievement according to a predetermined schedule. Work assigned and recorded gives a checks and balances element to a project. Communicating progress (or lack of it) keeps everyone on his/her toes.
- Feed Back
Don’t wait until a project is completed to pat people on the back. An encouraging word might go a long way toward inspiring confidence in an insecure employee. Stay on top of the team’s progress and let them know you believe in them.
- Unify
Everyone needs to be on the same page. Make sure no one is left off the email list or misses a meeting. Maintain individual contact with your team members so they feel confident in contacting you directly. Keep team members up to date.
- Empower
Give each team member a voice and make sure it’s heard. Provide authority proportionate to responsibility. A domineering employee can sometimes steam roll a quiet one. Meet regularly, via the most convenient method, to review progress.
- Make it Personal
Encourage your employees to get to know each other by opening meetings with time for sharing interesting happenings, personal or professional. Whether via Skype, teleconference or in person, forging ties means sharing. A team that likes each other is a valuable asset.
- Listen
Most of all, as a manager, you need to listen more than you talk. Make time for people. Acknowledge what you hear. Ask questions. Not as easy as it sounds, stop waiting to talk and listen to your employees. Encourage them to listen to each other.
Good listeners are patient people, and patient people make good teammates.
Good communication keeps everyone moving forward. Clear expectations, avenues for addressing issues, timely feedback and positive interactions all make for a productive team of coworkers, committed to the common goal of a job well-done.