Group communication can be difficult in any setting. It is defined as exchanging information and ideas between three or more people, and is considered helpful in the business world in terms of brainstorming. To help you improve leadership in group communication, review the following tips.
Take Advantage of Project Management Software
Project management software lets team members track their assignments and projects, allowing them to provide detailed updates about their progress whenever it’s warranted. If you have yet to select a type of project management software, provide several options and ask team members to vote on which software they like best. They will appreciate you wanting their input and will feel more in control of communication efforts.
It also helps to use communication channels, such as Slack, that help team members stay on top of assignments and add their input to group chats. Such channels also provide opportunities for fun, such as a slack dedicated to employee pets. Providing team members with engaging “virtual breaks” helps them come back to their projects feeling refreshed.
Create an “Open Door” Policy
If employees feel like they can never ask you anything or discuss various concerns, group communication and overall productivity take hits. By letting team members know that your office door is always open, even if it is not physically open, communication will improve. For example, if a team member has a question about a project that will affect its outcome, talking to you about it before getting started is vital to success.
An open door policy also helps you build a rapport with your team and make it clear that they can trust you. Mutual trust is essential to the success of any company, because it keeps the communication lines open and dampens “disgruntled employee” issues that can cause distractions and productivity dips.
Be Transparent About Tasks
Effective leadership in group communication requires being forthright. Why? Because group communication suffers if team members are unclear about their specific tasks. Your entire group should know exactly what their responsibilities are and the related deadlines, as it avoids miscommunication and frustration. To ensure everyone in a large group knows what they have to do, have a meeting, whether in person or via video chat, for assignment purposes. Once everyone understands their duties, schedule periodic follow-up meetings where everyone gets to discuss their progress, ask questions, and talk about any issues they are experiencing.
Depending on the size of your group, having several meetings with smaller groups might be ideal. You can also have one-on-one meetings periodically to ensure everyone stays on schedule.
Encourage Feedback
Constructive feedback is helpful, as it allows the recipient to think critically about their assignment or project, and what they can do better. You might want to engage in public feedback forums every so often, so long as everyone remains polite and respectful. Such forums allow everyone to learn from each other’s feedback and approach projects from more creative or technical points of view. Team members should leave these sessions feeling inspired and ready to tackle their latest assignment, not embarrassed and rejected. If the latter issues occur, consider rethinking the public feedback policy and opting for smaller groups or one-on-one feedback instead.
These are some of the many tips regarding effective leadership in group communication. Try focusing on one tip at a time so you do not feel overwhelmed and enjoy a more organic process that benefits everyone in your office. To help you with your efforts and enjoy a more harmonious, productive workplace, please contact Peaceful Leaders Academy today!
