Individuals are usually asked to be part of a working team because of the expertise and experience they bring to the work. These areas of individual expertise are so important. Yet when you start to work together, you quickly find that communication quickly becomes a very important part of working together and getting the job done.
How Can Your Communication Skills Improve Your Teamwork?
What Did You Say?
Effective communication starts with saying something to an individual or to the team. Your natural style of communication seems like the best way to say something, simply because it comes naturally to you. You may focus on the strategy for getting the results you want, while someone else may say the same thing in a very different way, focusing on the accepted process for working together. A third person may join in by adding many details about the problems with what you both have said.
What Did They Hear?
Effective communication happens when what you say is what they hear. Because we each communicate in the way we most easily understand, others may not find your style most effective. As you become more aware of your communication style, you can adapt what you say to those you want to understand it most.
How Can We Connect?
Effective communication means connecting your ideas with other people so they understand what you are saying and find attractive connections with their own ideas. When I talk about strategy and you talk about process and she talks about potential problems, we can get lost. If we can connect these three ideas, we strengthen the teamwork!
Expand your impact in the team with effective communication using 4 steps:
1. Aware – become more aware of your natural communication style, where it is most effective and how others may perceive it
2. Understand – with this awareness, understand how your communication sounds to others and how this can affect what they hear when you speak
3. Act – when you understand how you speak and how others perceive your communication, you act to adapt your approach and words to be heard clearly by others
4. Transform – your team contributions can grow as your communication becomes more effective. You can say what you mean and have others hear what you really want to say!
Do you remember a time when these steps could have helped you and your team?
The experienced team at MSM Advisors can help you explore your communication style and see how you can empower your team. Call today at 678-804-5530 to schedule a consultation or visit us online for more information.
About the Author – Authored by Dr. Julie Cross
Julie Anne Cross, Ph.D., a performance strategist, has trained and coached leaders, managers, and teams in business, government, and nonprofit organizations, focusing on strategies for engaging performance for more than 20 years. As a gifted facilitator and presenter, she has spoken to hundreds of people and worked with small groups, as well as coaching individuals using the Impact Prism, a behavior profile which is an expansion of the DISC Model of Human Behavior. Dr. Cross is a published author and has created materials on self-awareness and personal development. She has developed the Impact Wheel and the Impact Prism to offer the individual an exciting opportunity for personal and professional growth. Visit her website Impact Prism to learn more.
