I am always surprised when you look at a CV, over 99% will cite that the applicant has good communication skills. Interestingly, the most common area to improve when employee engagement surveys are carried out is communication, so it is no surprise that it is a key area to focus on when it comes to team development.
There are many team issues and problems which come down to communication. This could be messages that are misinterpreted or simply not heard, assumptions that aren’t checked, and issues that are left to linger because nobody wants to raise them. Any communication skills training sessions need to give team members practical tools they can use straight away in meetings, one-to-ones and everyday conversations.
General areas to focus on are how people prefer to give and receive information, and how those differences can create misunderstanding. This needs team members to practise and develop skills in active listening, asking better questions and giving clear, balanced feedback.
For teams that need it, you may need to go further into conflict management and tough conversations. This is done by exploring why conflict happens, the common ways people respond to it, and how to turn disagreement into a productive discussion. It also means you need to create an environment where people actively seek feedback.
When it comes to communication, there is a wide range of options for team members to choose to use. These range from face-to-face to various online video options, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom, for two way or one way messages, or any other spoken communication method that does not use video, or written communication. This would also include communicating with individuals, who have visual or hearing disabilities.
Our focus has always been in person face-to-face, over a video call, or simply verbal communication via a phone. Although AI has made a massive difference in written communication, it has had less impact on other forms of communication at present. Well, for 30 years of delivering learning and development in soft skills, I’m always amazed, when I ask the question, of how few people have actually read any books on the subject of communication or leadership. Yet a few online keystrokes and a short interaction with AI can be seen by many as an alternative to experienced or peer-reviewed expertise.
The areas of communication we cover in our training workshops as a business are:
- Communication styles and preferences.
- Presentation skills.
- Active listening and effective questioning.
- Giving and receiving feedback constructively.
- Assertive communication as opposed to passive or aggressive.
- Understanding and managing conflict
- Preparing for and holding tough conversations
- Effective debriefing.
The result is a team that is focused, raises issues early, disagrees effectively and spends less time on misunderstandings and making sure the team is allocating roles effectively.