When companies improved their communication, they saw a 25% increase in their team’s productivity (Pumble, 2023). The bottom line is that effective communication is the cornerstone of a thriving workplace. And it’s something that everyone should be concerned about.
Leaders should be thinking about how to improve communication in their team, both from their own end and their employees.
And team members should be thinking about how to better effectively communicate their ideas and thoughts.
It’s only when every member of a company is bought in to the idea of better communication that the true benefits can be reaped.
Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle of daily operations, miscommunication can often creep in, leading to decreased productivity, mounting frustration, and disengagement among employees.
While there may not be a quick-fix silver bullet to transform you into a better communicator overnight, there are actionable steps you can take right now to steer your company in the right direction.
In this article, we’ll delve into four key areas where you can enhance communication:
Improving Communication Between Managers and Direct Reports
At the core of effective communication within your company is the relationship between a manager and their direct reports. This fundamental connection can either flourish or falter, and the latter can lead to festering miscommunication, resentment, and disengagement among employees.
The solution? Equip your managers with the skills to lead impactful one-on-one meetings, also known as 1:1s. These sessions are not merely routine check-ins but rather opportunities to foster open, transparent, and constructive dialogues.
Here’s some steps you can take to improve communication through 1 on 1s:
- One step you could take is to ask all managers to read the book, The Coaching Habit, by Michael Bungay Stanier. In it, the author outlines seven questions to ask in every 1:1 to forge connection, check in, and develop plans
- Managers should record all 1:1 meetings and watch them again later. They should pay attention to their own body language, use of follow-up questions, and listening skills.
- Twice a year, they should watch their 1:1s with their own manager
It’s often said that employees don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. And 1:1s are the place to build relationships that offer support and foster growth.
Improving Communication Between Different Departments
Miscommunication between different departments within your organisation can lead to silos and fractured alignment, potentially hampering productivity and collaboration.
However, addressing this issue can be a relatively straightforward process.
One of the most common sources of tension and miscommunication can arise between the marketing and sales departments. This misalignment can have costly consequences, as it often results in inconsistent messaging and a less-than-smooth customer buying experience.
So, what’s the solution?
First off, you should consider aligning your marketing and sales teams.
🔎 Read: How to Align Your Marketing & Sales Teams
On top of this, you may consider implementing a simple but effective strategy: designate a representative from one department to attend the weekly meetings of the other. Here’s how it works:
- Cross-Departmental Liaison: Let’s say your sales team holds weekly huddles on Tuesdays. Assign a member from the marketing team to attend these meetings as a listener and note-taker. Likewise, if the marketing team has its own weekly gatherings, select a representative from the sales team to participate
- Information Sharing: During these meetings, the liaison from one department is responsible for gathering insights, addressing questions, and serving as a bridge between the two teams. If any questions or concerns arise during the meeting that pertain to the other department, the liaison can either provide answers or relay the inquiries back to their own team
- Feedback Loop: At the next internal departmental meeting, allocate a brief period—about five minutes—for the liaison to report back on the discussions and seek answers to any questions raised during the interdepartmental meeting
- Rotation: To ensure a dynamic exchange of information and insights, rotate the liaison role between departments on a quarterly basis. This rotation prevents any one individual from becoming a bottleneck of communication
By implementing this approach, you’ll quickly notice a positive shift in morale and communication within your organisation. Breaking down the walls that often separate departments fosters a culture of collaboration and ensures everyone is aligned towards common goals.
Improving Communication Between Leadership and All Other Employees
When it comes to effective communication within an organisation, the role of leadership is paramount. Leaders are responsible for conveying major decisions, policies, and the overall direction of the company to the entire workforce. If leadership falters in this aspect, it can undermine all other communication efforts within the organisation.
After all, even the most seamless sales and marketing alignment can’t salvage a sinking ship if leadership communication is lacking.
So, what’s the quickest way for leadership teams to enhance their communication with the rest of the organisation?
It’s a simple yet powerful strategy: stop relying solely on text-based emails for important company matters.
How many times have you witnessed a situation in which a text-based email was sent out within the organisation, only to be misunderstood and subsequently causing more problems and drama than it was meant to address?
Email is undoubtedly a valuable tool for communication, but when it comes to delivering crucial announcements and messages to your team, consider adopting a dual approach: utilise both written text and video.
Written text certainly has its merits, but video offers a unique advantage in that it can effectively convey nuance, emotion, and personality. That’s why combining these two mediums is essential for comprehensive communication.
Additionally, before hitting the send button on your email or sharing your video message, take a moment to review your content with a critical question in mind: “Is there any way this communication can be misinterpreted?”
You’d be amazed at how many potential headaches can be avoided simply by asking this question and ensuring that your message is crystal clear and open to minimal misinterpretation.
By adopting this approach, leadership teams can significantly improve their communication effectiveness and foster a culture of transparency and understanding throughout the organisation.
Improving Communication Between Your Company and Its External Audience
While internal communication within your organisation is crucial, it’s equally important to establish effective communication with your external audience. This includes customers, subscribers, investors, partners, community members, etc. Good communication with external groups can foster positive relationships, while poor communication can have adverse effects.
So, how can your company communicate more effectively with its external audience?
The answer is simple but often overlooked: don’t hide the truth.
Something we emphasise at RedPandas is the importance of openly publishing the prices of your products or services. This may seem like an obvious step,, but many companies resist it. They may have relied on the “Call for a quote!” approach in the past, citing the complexity of determining the final price or fearing that disclosing the number might deter potential customers.
Certainly, discussing price can be a challenging endeavour. However, it’s essential to recognise that most buyers aren’t seeking an exact figure; they merely want a ballpark estimate, and an explanation of the different factors that make the price go up or down.
When you withhold this information, customers may assume you have something to hide, eroding trust from the outset. And trust is the single most important ingredient for sales.
🔎 Read: Why You Should Share Pricing Transparently on Your Website
Beyond sharing prices transparently, another thing you can do to improve communication and build trust with your audience is acknowledging any shortcomings in your product or service openly.
Let’s face it; no offering is perfect. And when buyers are doing research before they make a purchase, they want to know about all the problems before they buy.
They’re looking for it already, so if you hide it, they’re going to go somewhere else to learn about it. By addressing these limitations upfront, you demonstrate transparency and authenticity, which are key factors in building trust, and better communication.
You might wonder if being completely candid will scare off potential customers. It’s crucial to understand that people want to make informed decisions to avoid buyer’s remorse. This is why they read 1-star reviews and seek comprehensive information about what they are considering purchasing.
🔎 Read: The Best 5 Topics for Increasing Trust & Sales
In summary, honesty is the linchpin for better communication with your audience. By providing straightforward and transparent communication, you can establish credibility, reduce misunderstandings, and ultimately strengthen your company’s relationships with its customers.
So, What’s Next?
Effective communication is the backbone of a thriving and productive organisation. By implementing these strategies to enhance communication at your company, you can bridge gaps, reduce misunderstandings, and foster stronger connections both internally and external
If you care about communication, you probably care about company culture as well.
Check out this article on how to foster a culture of growth in your company through roleplays.