How to Improve Team Communication as a Manager
As a manager, you know that good team communication is the key to cultivating an efficient, loyal, and hard-working team of self starters. And effective communication allows you to troubleshoot budding issues before they blossom into serious problems. You can improve team communication by providing appropriate communication technology to your staff, but in the end, improving team communication has more to do with management style than anything else.
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Instructions
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Make sure your employees have easy access to email and any equipment they need in order to communicate with the rest of the team effectively. Communication-enhancing equipment may include computers, cell phones, and portable media devices.
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Learn how to communicate effectively, yourself, by getting formal training in team communication. Set an example by using clear, open and effective communication with your team members.
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Offer staff training in clear communication. Miscommunication is rife in the working world. Teach your employees to communicate clearly and readily. Classes in email communication and telephone communication are highly recommended.
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Eliminate disincentives to communicate. Staff will be reluctant to communicate when they benefit from keeping vital information to themselves. Encourage your staff to share their informational resources by rewarding them for teamwork. And do the same for those team members inclined to keep quiet about issues or concerns for fear of the consequences of speaking up.
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Invite feedback from your staff, both good and bad, by providing concrete avenues for communication. Different people prefer different forms of communication. Provide as many avenues as possible so each team member has a "user-friendly" way to share their thoughts.
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To improve team communication, respond promptly and courteously to all attempts at communication by your staff. When you are busy, let them know it's not the best time to talk but that you'd like to hear what they have to say later.
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Structure team meetings so that everybody has a chance to participate. Offer chances to facilitate, to contribute to decision-making, and other means of getting your staff to have their say.
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Tips & Warnings
Communication is a two-way street, and staff learn by example. The best way to improve team communication and get people to talk to each other clearly and openly is to talk to them clearly and openly.
Limit communication "guidelines" and "rules" for the workplace. Rules indicating when it is and isn't appropriate to speak and what should or shouldn't be said tend to discourage communication. Rather, encourage an environment of open communication and trust.
