(Newswire.net — December 14, 2021) —
Behind every successful project is a well-managed team led by a proactive leader. An organization is a nexus of cross-functional teams that work together to achieve a common goal.
Teamwork for higher productivity
Studies have continually substantiated the benefits of teamwork. When it comes to sophisticated and strenuous projects- be it a new product development or handling a vast clientele, an efficient team is essential to efficiently complete the tasks on a timely basis.
An efficiently managed team that makes the best use of its skillset and talent produces greater results and impacts organizational success to a great extent. Moreover, teamwork facilitates sharing of innovative ideas; higher quality; and lesser stress as the work is distributed among the team members.
What makes a good team?
While creativity and productivity are imperative, merely pooling together skill, talent and ideas without a capable leader result in low productivity, creativity and motivation. An efficient team is not just a group of hardworking people but a team of highly motivated individuals striving towards a common goal under a capable leader. Setting an environment where employees are encouraged to share their ideas openly and giving them the recognition, they deserve can dramatically improve their work performance and motivate them to put their best foot forward.
In the case of high functioning and efficient teams, managers play a vital role in planning, organizing, decision making and conflict resolution. Equally important for a successful team is the implementation of a good strategy for effective team communication in the workplace.
How to foster effective team communication in the workplace
Successful managers act as a catalyst between their team and its goal. A proficient manager navigates his team through challenges to attain a particular objective. For a team to be successful and competent, proper communication of goals and ideas is as important as delegating work and getting it done.
If you are a manager, here are a few ways in which you can significantly improve team communication in the workplace, regardless of the complexity of the task or the size of your team:
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Set goals and delegate responsibilities
Establishing a goal is not limited to setting targets and allocating responsibilities, it is also about setting ground rules and practices that enable seamless workflow. A team leader should assign responsibilities in accordance with the strengths and skillset of each member of the team to maximize productivity. The role of the manager is to ensure that each employee is aware of what their responsibilities are and what they are expected to do as part of the team.
Clear allocation of responsibilities helps employees understand their part in the team and keeps them accountable to strive towards the goal that is to be achieved. This also ensures that no employee is overloaded with work and subsequently eliminates lethargy amongst the team members.
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Use team communication management tools to keep a track of discussions and goals
Optimum utilization of suitable communication and project management tools such as Clariti makes all necessary information and resources easily accessible to the team members. It also helps to keep track of all work-related conversations and emails; along with easy means of communication through conference calls and screen sharing options that simplify group communication. Emails being the commonly used tool are also effective for cross-functional teams.
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Communicate the right message to the right person
Information overload can lead to needless confusion amongst team members. Unwanted information in the hands of the wrong people can result in conflicts between the team and the upper-level management.
Taking into consideration the group dynamics and the responsibilities delegated, the manager must ensure that the right information goes to the right team member. Meticulously devising a plan that simplifies the entire project into multiple tasks can bring seamless workflow and increase productivity to a substantial extent.
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Foster team cohesion and encourage constructive feedback
A cohesive team comprises a motivated and enthusiastic workforce working towards a group goal as opposed to individual interest. According to the Corporate Finance Institute ‘Team cohesion’ is ‘the strength and extent of interpersonal connection existing among the members of a group’.
Managers must make an effort to create a respectable environment for communication where each member of the team is acknowledged, appreciated and heard. In this way, employees are motivated to improve their performance and bring new ideas to the table without any inhibition.
Developing a sense of mutual understanding and belonging among the team members greatly impacts the way employees interact and contribute to the team on the whole.
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Eliminate groupthink
Groupthink is the collective tendency of employees in a team to give in or agree to a consensus without giving much thought to the outcomes of a particular decision or plan. While such uniformity in opinion can result in low conflicts or no conflict within the team, these uninformed decisions could be damaging to the quality and effectiveness of the final outcome.
Active participation of all team members is conducive to informed decision-making. In contrast to groupthink, a team is only in a consensus of a decision when all possible pros and cons are discussed.
With consistent efforts, groupthink can be eliminated.
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Provide a simplified and clear picture of the scenario in place
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Deliberately prompt each team member to give their feedbacks
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Assign a team member to play the role of the ‘Devil’s advocate’. The ‘devil’s advocate’ is a common term used to describe a person who takes up the task of critiquing and questioning an idea or decision, in order to bring about various perspectives and potential discrepancies that may have been overlooked.
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Facilitate an environment that encourages conversations within the team without the fear of being judged or trivialized.
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Encourage positive conflicts
Conflicts are inevitable in a team that works together towards achieving a common goal. Nevertheless, conflicts that are negative or destructive can make or break a team. A manager must always look out for such conflicts that arise. Such concerns must be addressed and diplomatically resolved at the earliest, acting in the best interest of the team.
On the contrary, positive conflicts are beneficial in identifying the best ways to achieve the goals. Unlike destructive and negative conflicts, positive conflicts are respectful debates where all parties involved act out of genuine motivation to find the best solution to a problem without indulging in personal attacks or opposing agendas.
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Host team meetings and brainstorming sessions
Meetings are undeniably the most effective medium to propel consistent team communication in the workplace. By conducting weekly or monthly meetings, managers can monitor the level of progress of every employee. Additionally, team meetings can provide an opportunity for team members to put forth their concerns, doubts, and challenges encountered on the job that could be hindering the progress of the team.
Depending on the preferences of the team, the mode of meetings can be face-to-face or virtual meetings, in case the team is geographically scattered. While discussing progress and responsibility is vital, listening is also an important skill of a leader. Regardless of the mode of communication, team leaders must foster active participation of the entire team through brainstorming sessions or group discussions to attain maximum productivity, creativity and performance. Every possible alternative must be pondered on, and every feedback considered to achieve the highest level of success.
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Encourage off-work social interactions to ignite team spirit
Successful teams are the ones where the members understand each other and their expectations. When employees interact, listen and indulge in a free exchange of ideas, creative solutions can be found to work challenges.
Many prominent corporates conduct team-building workshops and events to break social and communication barriers that prevent employees from collaborating. It also helps employees to form an informal bond with the manager which is essential to encourage open communication. With the help of team-building activities, managers can also analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their employees and assign roles that will help them excel within the team.
Apart from significantly improving team communication in the workplace, team-building activities build trust and boost the morale of the team. This can further encourage them to find an identity within the team and improve their work performance.
It goes without saying, a great team is an amalgamation of talent, skill, efficient leadership and exceptional communication. Conversely, an inefficient team is the consequence of poor leadership and a lack of effective team communication in the workplace. Understanding employee strengths and establishing an open-door communication policy can increase the creativity and productivity of the team. With easy access to effective communication tools and training, a manager can effectively lead a team of skilled and motivated workers to the path of success.