Clear communication involves bridging the gap between the receiver’s perception and the intended message. An individual’s viewpoint and how things relate to one another shapes his perspective. Unless the opponent is facing the same set of issues, comprehension will differ from total agreement in principle and spirit. In workplaces, specifically hybrid ones, effective communication depends on the individual and collective standpoint of team members. Every team member has an opinion that’s shaped by their own experiences. Often people with weak resolve find their opinions influenced by others. There are different interpretations of the same message.
The role of effective communication plays a pivot in cleansing the misinterpretations when they connect and collaborate, bringing the whole team to the same page and comprehension level. This does not mean that there cannot be a difference of opinion. It only states that after discussions and deliberations, the majority agree to carry forward with a decision everyone concurs. For instance, in a project report, if one team member focuses on using cheap inputs to reduce costs, it can be interpreted as low quality. The same message can be rephrased by stressing budget-friendly and cost efficient-options. Consistently working on stressing the right usage of words and approach to communication will reduce the differences in perspectives and boost collaborative efforts. Here are a few tips for helping teams connect and collaborate better in modern workplaces
- Reduce The Barriers
In multicultural workplaces where employees cover different ethnic diasporas, the cultural shock has to be removed through acclimatization. A normal practice in one place may not be acceptable in another country or region. Hiring employees who understand the working language of the team will benefit everyone. For some employees, training classes can be held to sensitize them to the common differences of opinions. For instance, dough means cash in American slang, but for those who follow the Oxford dictionary, it is kneaded flour that is used to make bread. A manager may use the phrase, “We need to solve it”, to motivate the team, but it should not be taken literally as trying to crack equipment.
- Automated Work Management Systems
Team members working on a project can form a task-oriented, project-based communication channel in the work management systems. Here, the transparency of communication is between all the team members. These messages are not sent in silos. Every message is there for everyone to see. The tasks when completed by one team member and assigned to another, will automatically leave an audit trail. The result is fewer delays in communication as all the messages and statuses are on real-time record. Higher transparency leads to efficient completion as team members cannot escape the demerits of complacency in their work. The latency that was part of one-to-one emails is removed through the managed service platforms.
Conclusion:
Communication is important as long as it is effective. Good intentions without a plan are good only hypothetically. Practical aspects can be achieved only through clear, concise, and apt communication.
