One of the reasons some teams are successful is the open communication between team members and team members and the team leader. Without this, it doesn’t matter how smart the people are that make up the team, or how passionate they are about their mission, the team will not function well and reach the goals they set out to accomplish.
What does open communication mean?
Open communication means the team members can share their feelings and opinions openly and honestly without fear of repercussions or other team members squelching their ideas. It also means the ability to give feedback to other team members in a supportive way. Communicating effectively allows team members to provide their insights and share their ideas in a way that allows them to feel comfortable.
Often what happens is one team member will begin to share their idea and before they even complete their thought, someone is telling them why this won’t work. Other times a single team member monopolizes the meeting not letting anyone else get in an idea or thought. And still other times individual members sit in silence, afraid to share their thoughts because in the past they have felt shot down so often they figure why bother. None of these scenarios allows for open communication, which translates to not having effective communication.
What’s the big deal?
I know it sounds silly to even pose the question ‘what’s the big deal’ because as leaders we want everyone to feel heard. One voice does not make for good team dynamics nor does it necessarily provide the opportunity for the best outcome. A soup with one ingredient is bland. One with many ingredients that have had time to meld together produces a delicious soup that appeals to many. The same is true with ideas. Many ideas brought forth can bring about the best results as we stir the pot and see which bubbles to the surface.
How do you create the best outcome?
There is never just one right path towards the goal. We have to start with the goal in mind and then explore the alternatives toward reaching that goal. Allow people to share their suggestions without worrying if they are brilliant ideas or even workable. Too often we dismiss something out of hand because we can’t yet see ‘how’ we can make it work. Forget about the ‘how’ and let the ideas flow.
Teach your team members to give feedback to each other. Communicating feedback can include ways to present ideas so that everyone understands what they are suggesting. When others have to ask a series of questions to clarify what the person is attempting to say, the idea often gets thrown aside before it gets to the table. Other types of feedback can include:
- How to ask questions without sounding judgmental
- Including data points or information as part of the presentation of the idea
- Presenting pros and cons when sharing an idea
- How to suggest challenges with the idea or problem in a manner that is constructive
- Offering additional insights as ‘add ons’ to the idea without the other person feeling like they have taken over their idea
- Considerations others may not have been aware of
- Getting people to consensus
The point is that giving feedback in a constructive and positive way will help people see where they can contribute in a way that is useful to everyone, and get their views out in a manner that others will be open to hearing. However you must teach them how to communicate effectively when giving feedback otherwise the results may not be what you want.
I know that people are people, and some are never going to be receptive to other’s ideas. There will always be team members who think they know it all and have the one right idea. Teams do not exist without nay sayers and someone who consistently tells them why it won’t work. However, if the people on the team are taught that open communication includes the ability to give feedback, the team becomes stronger. The important component of giving feedback is how it is said, not just what is said. Of course this is true with all communication. If our tone is condescending, the message is often lost. When we start with a statement such as, “Let me explain to you why that won’t work…” it will likely produce resistance immediately. The content of the message is important and how you say it will affect whether it is heard in a positive way or not. This is communicating effectively 101.
Want to know about the latest trends in leadership and communication? Sign up for our newsletter Generate the Power and have ideas delivered to your inbox twice a month.
