Our last blog was on the importance of communication. I would like to expand on that give you 3 tips to effective communication. Communication can be the difference of having a team that works with you, or employees that do their own thing. A team working with you can help to achieve the vision of your company. Here are 3 BIG steps to help increase communication, Just remember H.I.S. Communication! Hear, Involve, Share!
#1 HEAR FROM THE TEAM: The team members on the front line of the business are the ones that know what is working and what is not. They are filled with ideas that could help things run more efficiently and ultimately increase profits. Take the time to listen to them. Hear their concerns and ideas and answer their questions. When they know that they have a voice that is heard, they will be more willing to help and listen to you.
#2 INVOLVE THE TEAM: Company goals are no good at all if the people you hire to achieve them have no clue what they are. To put it simply, when you work on a puzzle with 5 people, do you keep the picture all to yourself? No! You display the picture for everyone to see so that they can help you finish it faster. Same thing with the company. If you keep that vision and those goals to yourself, they have no way of knowing what that vision is. If you involve the team in goal setting, they will then take ownership. Team ownership = Team Commitment!
#3 SHARE WITH THE TEAM: Go back to the puzzle scenario, would you let the other people know how close they are to completing the puzzle? Of course you would! Again, the same thing applies to your business. Share the results with the team. Let them know where you are compared to where you want to be. If you are right on target or overachieving, praise them for it. If you are underachieving, go back to step 1, hear from them about what they need to make things better.
The more you perform these 3 simple steps, the better your team will be!
-TR Parker, Business Advisor, Phoenix, AZ