Signs that your team have a major communication problem

If you are a manager then you may feel as though your day to day life consists of nothing but communication.

You may find yourself leading meetings while also sending emails and making presentations, As busy as you sometimes feel with interactions such as this, you may not be communicating with your team as well as you need to be when it comes to their priorities, goals or even assignments. If you want to do something about this then this is the guide for you.

Work is being done twice

When work is not communicated well, you may find that confusion then ensues. One perfect example would be if your company is going through a merger. You may find that two teams are having to come together and that you have to manage two associates, and two leaders. If you have a lack of communication here then you may find that the teams work as they always did and that you may find that you just have no idea what to do overall. Work is then duplicated and that you have no idea what needs to be done, or what has been done already. If you have a slow computer or system then this can also hinder team communication and work progress, but luckily, you have a few options when it comes to fixing this issue.

The finished project is just not what you expected

If you give someone a project and you have a communication issue then you may find that the team do not produce the result you want. This can be a major waste of time for every party, especially if you felt as though the instructions were clear. You may find that you end up growing frustrated with your employees and that they have no idea what expectations you are setting for them. Either way, you have to know that it is your responsibility to make a change so that communication and then work can improve.

There’s silence

If you have a manager, or if you have been in this situation yourself then you will know how damaging this can be. One of the most common and telling mistakes would be if there is one party who is dominating the entire conversation. You may find that the manager is coaching an employee, telling them about goals and explaining all the ways that the job can be done and that the employee has radio silence. This is not good, to say the least, and it is one of the key defining signs that you or a manager has bad communication.

You do not have the same priorities

When your team are working on a lot of different assignments at the same time, they are bound to prioritise certain issues over others. If you are not clear about your goals and if you are not set on your priorities or even the alignment of your goals then you may find that the to-do list is the first thing to go. You may find that you end up asking for the finished project, only to find that your team have been working on something completely different to what you need. Solid communication means everyone is on the same page, and this includes you. Everyone needs to know what is on the top of the list, and they also need to know what can and should wait until later.