“None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Ken Blanchard
Communication Skills
When thinking about Communication Skills, if what Ken Blanchard says is true, why is it that a lot of teams run at under 60% of their potential?
The answer is that we are all different. We all have a different ‘voice’, or way of operating within our teams. If those differences are not understood and championed it will undermine the effectiveness of the team. For teams to succeed, we need to access and understand other people’s voices, especially those that are not the same as ours. This requires intentionality initiated by the team leader and adopted by the whole team.
I understand that in the Zulu tribe there is a greeting – “Sawubona” – which means I see you. We all want to be seen or appreciated for what we bring. By recognising that each team member has a different “voice” or way of contributing, we practice “seeing” people and appreciating their voice and contributions.
Communication is key to teams working well, and the key to effective communication is to understand that each of us bring a different “voice” to the team. This may be obvious, but we have to be aware that not everyone is like us. The team leader plays a key role in recognising the different voices in their team. And a good team leader crafts a team culture
that enables each team member to bring their best contribution.
In order to understand each other we need a common language that is simple and allows us to access voices that may be unnatural to us.
Are there any frustrations around communicating clearly in your team?
Do you understand the different voices on your team?
Does everyone feel heard?
Misunderstandings with communication and relationships over time can undermine trust in the team. But there is hope. There are simple tools available that can give your team a common “sticky” language around communication and tendencies that enable you to access higher levels of team effectiveness. You will then understand how your team can work best.
I’d love to help your team achieve its full potential. Please contact me on
mark@smartculture.uk to see how I can help.
If you haven’t grabbed a copy of our guide to Leading Remote Teams you can request a copy by contacting me
PS: Here is a great Ken Blanchard blog on communication skills
