Project management can be a challenging task. You frequently have to overcome many obstacles, and most of the time things don't go as you planned. And most of the problems that arise in a project are communication issues.
Well, communication can be challenging. Especially when your team must face the challenge of virtual communication. Hence, to organise tasks and reach your clear goal, you must tackle the communication challenge with your team members.
In order to complete your successful project, here are the tips for you to improve communication with your team members. Let’s dive in!
How to improve team communication
It’s crucial to have good communication skills, in order to be successful in any projects you do. This can be challenging to achieve, but with a simple effort and practice, you can improve your skills to communicate effectively with your team.
According to Project Management Institute, project managers must ensure that communication effectively delivers to the team members and stakeholders. Hence, you need to use the communication method that fits your team to get a successful project.
Let’s take a look at the six tips to improve communication in every project below.
1. Know your team and stakeholders
Photo by Kylie Haulk on Unsplash
Keep your team members and project stakeholders involved at all times. This might help you make sure that everyone is informed of the project's status with effective communication.
There are different types of communication channels. Consider the sensitivity of the information being shared, the number of teams involved, and the location of your team members and stakeholders when selecting a communication channel.
For example, it's ideal to communicate in person or over a personal chat if you need to share personal information. However, email, GSuite, and other communication tools can be more effective if you do communication with a large group spread across different countries.
2. Use a communication plan
According to Project Management, the success of a project depends on its communications plan. This plan should specify who needs to be informed and how frequently, rather than the type of communication you'll deliver during the project. Here are the details of how to do it.
- How does each stakeholder prefer to receive information?
- Are in-person conversations preferred over presentations, emails, or both?
- What days or hours are ideal for discussions or information delivery? (It’s suitable for remote teams)
- How should communications be handled when they are urgent or important?
Hence, it’s important to use a communication plan to improve communication in every project after you know your team members and stakeholders, a communication plan to avoid poor communication, misconception, and potential problems.
3. Use effective language
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
According to The Language Doctor, language is a tool that helps express people's thoughts and emotions. Besides, communication is the verbal or nonverbal exchange of messages and information.
Additionally, communication is vital to the team members. Good collaboration between team members can exist by using effective language. When you communicate, use simple language that is easy for others to understand. Avoid jargon or difficult terms that may not be easy for them to remember or understand.
4. Be open and honest
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
According to Leaders, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) discovered that having accountability sessions with a second person nearly doubles the likelihood that an individual will achieve their goals.
As a result, employees are better able to achieve challenging key performance indicators (KPIs) and other personal and professional goals when they can communicate honestly about their progress and potential setbacks.
The more open and natural you are with your thoughts and feelings, the better chance you have of being able to communicate effectively with others. It’s also important not to hide your important information or thoughts from your team members.
5. Be clear and concise
Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash
Be clear on what you want and need from the other person. When trying to communicate, it’s helpful if you clearly understand what you want and need from the other person. This will make it easier for the team to understand the point of your message and help build trust among the team.
Further, when you can clearly articulate your thoughts and intentions, you will be more likely to receive good feedback and move forward with the project. With this continuity, a project will feel lighter and easier to work on with the team.
6. Use a project management tool
Photo by Matthew Guay on Unsplash
Making sure that all team members have access to a project management tool using VirtualSpace. It will help your team to communicate effectively without having to worry about losing track of the project.
Keep track of progress reports by updating the project plan so that everyone can see how far along they are in terms of completing the task at hand. This will help keep everyone on track.
Further, you may plan your project from start to finish, keep track of its schedule, and work with your virtual team using project management tools in mobile and web app versions. It allows you to upload and share files with your team, manage multiple projects at once, and communicate with everyone.
The use of virtual project management tools is now essential for companies looking to streamline their project and finish tasks more quickly and effectively.
Conclusion
Good and effective communication within your team can help you succeed in business. By improving team communication, you can improve team performance and achieve desired outcomes.
If you stumble across communication issues early on in the project, you may risk spending too much time on communications and losing your chance to manage the project.
Keep team members involved and communicate with them in a style that fits them by using a range of communication forms. The use of technology makes it possible to better control communications, especially while working on projects with your remote team members.
Improving communication also means that you give space for your team to always grow. There is always space for development, even if communication within your team is great. So, consider putting some of the above tips into practice to improve communication in every project.
