The foundation for good communication in teams is having a really good understanding of each other´s highly different communication styles.
The better we understand both our own style of communication and that of our colleagues and peers, the better communication flows.
Many would agree with this, but still, few spend time reflecting on this crucial aspect of working together as a team. And the consequences are ineffective work, misunderstandings, tensions and even conflicts.
Different needs in communication
The styles of communication and collaboration varies a lot from one team member to the next. We all want to work effectively and achieve our goals, but how we want to go about doing that is highly different from person to person.
While some team members have a big need to explore together with others and reflect on values and the bigger picture, others actually really dislike this type of work and just want to get down to concrete work sooner rather than later. Others yet again are most concerned with the harmony of the team and ensuring a good working environment. For them, great work cannot be done until this need is first met.
For others, this aspect of the teamwork seems like a waste of time.
Meeting each others needs
Once we understand the individual differences in the team, the next question is – how do we deal with the different and sometimes opposing needs of the members of the team?
At the core this is a give and take process where meeting each other somewhere in the middle will help establish a good foundation for team communication and collaboration.
Questions you can reflect on are:
– If it is important for others to have a clear agenda for every meeting, could you meet them on that need?
– If it is important for others to spend time exploring and reflect on the bigger picture, could you meet them on that need?
– If it important for others to socialise, could you meet them on this need?
Pic: You X Venture, unsplash.com
Here are 2 steps to Communicating better in the team:
1. Understand your own and others´ needs?
Below are a list of some of the typical and highly needs in teams.
How would you rate yourself on these?
And how would you rate your team members?
Rating scale 1-10
Needs for..
..tasks to always be concrete an practical
..socialising and connecting with others on a more personal level
..reflecting on team and company values
..have a clear agenda for every meeting
..making sure there is a good harmony in the team
..a precise end goal with the work we are currently doing
..feeling safe to have an open dialogue in the team
..reflecting why we are doing the tasks and the links to company vision and values
..a very precise description of the tasks we are doing
..exploring topics together as a team
2. Which needs are not so important to you, but very important to others?
What can you do and who can you be differently to meet the needs of others?
Want to learn more?
Join us for our next free live online course in collaboration with Impact Hub King’s Cross
on April 21st.
In this course you will learn about different leadership and communication styles in teams and learn what to take into account for each team member to leverage their strengths whilst simultaneously adapting to the communication and leadership styles of other team members.
More info and tickets via the link: