The Importance of Communication
What?
What
is one of the most important keys to having a successful team? How do the best leaders motivate and inspire
their people? How do the best organizations promote discipline, accountability
and strategic alignment? With clear and direct communication. Communication is
so vital to the team’s success, however many times it never gets
addressed. Or it does but by that time the
team already has several problems.
Communication should be one of the first things a team works on. If team members cannot communicate with themselves nothing would ever get done.
It is possible to have a successful team that has poor communication but
they are few and far between.
Communication is essential in all relationships not just in the work
place. Breakdown in communication is the
number 2 reason for divorce in America.
So What?
Great
communication can lead to successful teams and happy relationships. Poor communication can lead to frustration and
heart ache. If you have meager
communication there are things you can do to improve upon it. In order to have better communication you
need to learn how to listen. It is hard
to convey a message to someone if you do not know what they want. To listen well you have to focus on the other
person more than yourself. When you
learn to listen properly it allows you to ask better questions showing that you
are interested in the topic. Eye contact
is another way to improve the way you communicate. People do not liked to be lied to, when you
make eye contact with others when communicated you can tell if they are tell
the truth or just pulling your leg. Few people
can look a person in the eye and lie. If
someone is being untruthful the line of communication is broken and you no
longer care what they have to say because you cannot trust them.
Now What?
Now
you know communication is critical to establishing a good team and relationship
you need to assess your own level of communication. If you do not have the best people or communication
skills use the advice above to help you improve them. I have found from my own life experiences
that poor communication can lead to many problems. In order to solve and prevent future problems
communication needs to be clear. There are
many ways to better your communication in teams; here is a link with six of
them. In the future if you are having
any communication problems they need to be addressed as soon as possible. Keep
good communication and you will have a happy team and partner.
