By: Steven Buer a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, as part of Heather Nelson’s Service Learning class.
Communication is KEY. Everything we do as human beings are built upon the art of communicating with others. You cannot move a mountain with just one individual. It takes a team of dedicated individuals to build a group and create something that will affect the lives of others. There are many common thoughts about what a team is, but according to Baden Eunson here is what a team is: “A team is a collection of people who must work interdependently to achieve a common goal or output.”
Businesses run on the great teams that we have. Without team communication, businesses cease to exist. One of the first steps to building team communication is to actually know who the team is. Spend the time to get to know your team members as this may be something that will mean a lot at the end of the day. Listen to one another and understand the strengths that the team has. Under that conversation, explain the roles and responsibilities that each team member is in charge of. There is a great possibility that there will be some common strengths that can help both team members achieve a common goal. The power of simply just receiving information from other people can be great.
Listening is a skill that we can all do but only certain individuals can do this exceptionally well. No matter how much information you share with a person, it does not mean anything if they do not listen. It is like talking to a wall with someone who is not an active listener. This is a simple skill but can be difficult to learn from the beginning. It takes a lot of consistent practice with other team members to consistently do it well. Things to show the speaker that you are listening could include small encouragement, repeating what they are saying back to show understanding, and giving undivided attention to the speaker. Everyone does not have a problem talking about themselves or anything similar to that, but most people struggle with the art of listening. “Effective communication starts with being able to listen, not speak.”
Team building stems from the nature of interaction with other team members. That begins right away at team meetings. Keeping meetings productive and useful to everyone involved will create a stronger and more positive morale for the group. If every interaction or meeting has a clear purpose, there will be less frustration going into the meeting, therefore, leading to more opportunities for workers to bond. Having more clear and meaningful interactions with a team is going to only help not only advance the business further but build a stronger communication network with the team outside of meetings.
Additionally, working on one-on-one interactions will help the team bond on a more personal level just beyond work life. Everyone has a life outside of work and getting to know that life just a little bit can mean a lot to an individual. This could be through effective communication channels such as calling, texting, emailing, videoconferencing, and more. The more collaboration for a project the better.
The benefits of having strong communication with a team builds trust with one another, efficiency improves, better leaders are created, and it simply leads to a healthier work environment. All of this information directly relates to the mission and vision of Omaha Skills Connection. Every bit of this information can apply directly to everyday life and make the lives of every individual better. Every business should have a top priority to build a stronger connection with their teams. It will only make everyone happier and lead to a more successful business. Make every team member feel that they belong there and that their voice is going to be heard. If a person feels they do not belong or their voice does not mean anything, then they will not say anything. New ideas should be welcomed so that debate and discussion can be had. Kindness can go a long way in great team communication.
“Communication is the real work of leadership.” -Nitin Nohria
References:
7 Ways To Keep Your Team Happy And Motivated – Lolly Daskal | Leadership
Five Strategies To Improve Communication With Team Members (forbes.com)
How to Communicate Effectively with Your Team (sync.com)
Communication is Key: 10 Signs of an Effective Communicator (alhartman.com)
What Is Team Communication, Why It Matters, and How to Get It Right (haiilo.com)
#Communication #TeamBuilding #TeamWork #Efficiency #Lead #Listen
Omaha Skills Connection is a 501c3 non-profit organization located in Omaha, Nebraska established as a result of the post-pandemic era to help bridge the skills gap between education, technology, and today’s workforce. Omaha needs an educated, flexible, and dynamic workforce in today’s knowledge-based economy. OSC connects talent to opportunity, modernizing employee development for today’s workforce.