Tips for effectively communicating within your team

Here’s wishing you an excellent start into 2016! May the New Year bring health and success in your personal and professional endeavors.

To start off effectively, let me remind you of some important things when communicating within your team:    

    
A. Create a nice atmosphere for your discussion

  • Give yourself the necessary time and don’t be in a hurry
  • Offer your fullest attention to your counterpart
  • Be open and without judgment

 B. Separate the factual from the relationship level

  • You can criticize how a person has reacted or behaves but for the person himself/herself you always ought to have respect
  • Accept differences in opinions and views as well as in the way to tackle projects and tasks and remain open and constructive. We are all different and solutions, i.e. “bridges” for collaboration can always be found
  • Don’t take issues personally

C. Use authentic statements and messages beginning with “I”

  • First, observe what is actually happening in a situation: what are you observing others saying or doing that is either enriching or not enriching your life? The trick is to be able to articulate this observation.
  • Then, without introducing any judgment or evaluation simply say what people are doing that you either like or don’t like. Example: “I noticed that…” or “I am angry because…” or “I need…”
  • Next, state how you feel when you observe this action: are you hurt, scared, joyful, amused, irritated?
  • And finally, communicate clearly what you need in connection to the feelings you have identified