5 team communication strategies for better collaboration

It doesn’t mean just telling people to share their thoughts, but actually doing it yourself and setting clear rules and guidelines about how to share.

It isn’t just about how you share information but also what gets shared. 

It needs to be:

• Relevant. Is this important and to the point?
• Complete. Is anything missing? Can I do what I need to do with what’s been said?
• Clear. Will everyone understand what’s being said?

Open communication doesn't mean more chatter. It means that all relevant information should be accessible to everyone:

• Minimize the number of communication tools you use.
• Make sure everyone is setting up their communication tools in the best way possible to protect their focus. 

You should give people guidelines about how to use communication tools.

You want people to get what they need and then return to their focused work.

Listen, ask questions and follow up in an effective and respectful way:

• Keep a regular schedule so your team knows it’s ok to balance communication time with heads down focus.
• Build a culture of trust by rewarding open communication.
• Give people your full attention when they’re talking to you.