Team facilitation begins with developing the appropriate mindset and preparation for meetings. It is influenced by the beliefs you hold as a facilitator, such as the belief that the group possesses the collective wisdom to handle the problem at hand, among other factors. Being conscious of your bias implies knowing how you can purposefully or accidentally impact the group’s decision-making process. If you come into any form of meeting, you have to assist the group in getting over their fear of face-to-face contact.
Here are four suggestions for ensuring that your staff has excellent communication skills.
Communicate More Frequently
A decent rule of thumb is to communicate with your remote employees two to three times more frequently than you did with your in-person staff.
Deborah Morrish is a management executive in Canada and a humanitarian consultant. She has excellent communication skills and knows how to facilitate well with her team. Deborah Morrish also has several degrees and certificates, including HBA, BEd, BSc, and master’s degrees. Thus, you can learn more from her about facilitating your team with great communication skills.
Changing the frequency of informing your in-office team from once a week on Monday morning to every other day — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — is an example of good practice to consider. Keep callers on the line and cancellations to a minimum to emphasize the value of these additional check-ins.
Lead by Example
Employers should follow communication styles by treating them with respect, making explicit and actionable requests, soliciting (and acting on) honest feedback, recognizing and applauding collaboration, and continuously trying to improve their communication abilities.
When you concentrate on improving communication within a team, you may expect increased production, improved morale, and the development of a more positive workplace culture. For this reason, efficient communication must be made a priority throughout the organization.
When Feasible, Make Use of Data
Once the roles and responsibilities of your team are established, you can utilize data and evidence-driven interactions to develop a culture of accountability.
Managers that provide tangible examples of their direct report’s performance while offering feedback (whether positive or critical) will have much clearer and more meaningful dialogues with their direct reports. Management that links expectations to the team and organization-wide strategy helps team members understand how their participation contributes to a larger vision when discussing goals.
Keep Their Future in Mind at All Times
However, even if you and your employees are likely to be swamped with urgent projects and issues at the moment, you should encourage people to consider the opportunities that lie ahead for the firm and themselves as individuals. The company’s goals and values govern the organization to unite everyone around a shared vision and mission. Above all, tell them that you’re all in this together, no matter what happens.
Communicating effectively with others is essential for company executives steering their teams during the transition. A skill set that many executives would benefit from honing as well. So don’t be disheartened if your traditional and virtual communication skills require some improvement. Now is an excellent time to increase your team’s ability to communicate with one another. Your team members must have faith in your words, as well as the knowledge that you are paying attention to what they have to say.