In the book The Orange Revolution by Gostick and Elton, they identify communication barriers, such as:
- Talking in innuendos (and hoping people get the point or read between the lines)
- Finger pointing and assigning blame
- Pushing a negative agenda and building allies
- Minimizing or down playing serious situations
- Withholding information or ideas
What gets in the way of team communication in your place of work?
Teams that don’t fall into these communication traps are much more likely to collaborate, build trust and effectively manage the challenges that come their way.
Three ways to enhance team communication:
- Speak with Respect, Clarity, and Focus
- Question that which you don’t understand
- Avoid assumptions and especially be aware not to act on assumptions
When communication falls off the track, take a moment to refocus. Don’t let emotions or assumptions take you further away from the issue at hand. The extra time you take to communicate with clarity will save you time dealing with bigger challenges later on.
