What’s the single most important factor in the success of a workplace team? Many would say that it’s communication. Certainly, as the team leader, you need to be communicating with your employees effectively; transparent communication ensures that your employees know what is expected of them, and how they can prove successful within your organization; that they feel respected and valued, and that they value you as a leader and perhaps even a mentor.
But how can team leaders improve communication efforts? Some points to consider:
- Create an environment where communication is open and mutual. Have an open door policy—perhaps literally opening your office door, at least during certain parts of the day—and make it clear that you value your employees’ feedback. Don’t punish your employees for bringing you their concerns or their constructive criticism.
- Don’t mistake information for Throwing a ton of information at your employees is not the same thing as communicating with them, and in fact it can lead only to stress. Don’t just offer information, but also the necessary processes for using that information. And when you do dispense information, prioritize.
- Be generous in your affirmation. One of the most effective ways to communicate with your employees is to praise them for their achievements and their hard work—which will cultivate better relationships and build better morale.
- Try to scale back on industry lingo and slang. Of course you sometimes have to use the terminology that’s native to your industry, but remember that this can be daunting or even confusing for newer employees!
- Always take time to answer questions from your employees. Your employees need to feel comfortable asking questions—and if you always seem like you’re rushing through your answers, they won’t.
- Be thoughtful in your written communications. It’s tempting to toss off hastily composed e-mails to your team, but try to take an extra few minutes to make sure you’re conveying the right tone, and also providing all the pertinent information—dates, times, goals, basic expectations.
Remember: Communication is a key to morale, to team cohesion, to the achievement of goals—and ultimately, to success.