How to Improve Team Communication
Most team problems are communication problems in disguise: unclear priorities, missed handoffs and things everyone assumed someone else said.
To improve team communication, agree on which channel is used for what, hold a short regular huddle, write down decisions and owners after every meeting, make priorities visible, encourage questions and disagreement, check for understanding instead of assuming it and have leaders share context, not just instructions.
Clarity is the foundation. Gallup found fewer than half of U.S. employees know what is expected of them at work, and Gallup found 35% said better communication would most help them gain clarity.
Good team communication is less about talking more and more about making sure the right things are understood.
Seven ways to improve team communication
- Agree on channels. What goes where.
- Hold a short huddle. Daily or weekly.
- Write down decisions. And who owns what.
- Make priorities visible. Everyone sees the top three.
- Invite questions. And disagreement.
- Check understanding. Do not assume it.
- Share context. The why, not only the what.
Agree on how you communicate
Urgent issues by phone or message, decisions by email, updates in the weekly huddle. Simple agreements cut confusion. See How to Create Team Norms.
Write it down
After each meeting, send a short note: what we decided, who owns it and by when. Most dropped balls are forgotten conversations.
Check for understanding
Ask people to say back what they heard, especially for important changes. What will you do first? reveals more than does that make sense?
Share the why
People make better decisions when they understand the reason behind a priority. See How to Run a Team Huddle.
Building strong teams is the focus of Your Team Is Capable of More.
Improve team communication by agreeing on channels, holding a short regular huddle, writing down decisions and owners, making priorities visible, inviting questions, checking understanding and sharing context.
Frequently asked questions
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How do leaders improve team communication?
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