The word communication comes from Latin and means to share among everyone. After all, to fulfill a goal or perform any task in the company, it is necessary to understand and understand not only what needs to be done, but also why and the expected results of each action. However, the importance of internal communication goes far beyond this aspect. Thus, leaders have an essential role in the development of the soft skill of communication. Therefore, they must take the initiative to identify and analyze bottlenecks, based on some signs that we will point out below.

Signs of internal communication problems

Above all, internal communication problems are not restricted to the fact that one employee says “x” and the other understands “y”. In summary, when a company suffers from communication problems, it emits some signals, such as:

• recurrent delays in deliveries;
• lack of collaboration between individualist teams and professionals;
• employees feel lost about demands and priorities;
• presence of lack of motivation and insecurity, to expose ideas;
• insecurity to expose their opinions and ideas;
• inconsistency in the delivery of activities.

How do we improve your team’s communication?

So, here are some tips on how to improve internal communication between the team.

1. Choose the right interaction channels

For communication to flow, everyone needs to be on the same page. In other words, establish efficient internal communication channels accessible to everyone.

2. Investigate and eliminate noise

To eliminate communication noise, it is important to know where they started, try to identify patterns of behavior, and understand the different views that employees may have of the same activity.

3. Know how to perform and receive Feedback

In this context, feedback is important for the personal development of each employee and the team as a whole. In other words, leaders and employees need to be open to listen and act in collaboration with the team, which needs to be informed of the importance of the feedback process and the results monitored.

4. Delegate activities clearly

Delegate clearly and ensure that the information is conveyed correctly. A basic tip is to ask employees to repeat what was passed on to them. It may seem simple, but it makes all the difference in carrying out the activities since this can avoid unnecessary reworks, for example.

5. Listen and encourage dialogue among employees

Managers are not always aware of everything that happens at each end of the company’s processes. In this sense, listening to employees and promoting dialogue between them helps to identify the main points for improvement in terms of internal communication. Above all, show interest and attention to what is exposed by the employee and let him speak freely.

6. Measure communication results

The best way to carry out this monitoring is to measure the results of actions, in a quantitative way. Analyze some processes, such as:

• percentage of delays in deliveries and/or meeting deadlines;
• number of returns of interpersonal conflicts over a period of time;
• average time spent to carry out activities.

8. Encourage activities that bring the team together

In this sense, we spend more time with our co-workers than with our own family. Thus, as a way to improve internal communication and engagement, meetings should be promoted in other contexts that are not just organizational. In summary, training that includes group dynamics is also welcome, as they promote integration and synergy among employees.

9. Understand that mistakes happen and are learning opportunities

Always learn from mistakes. In fact, it is important to find the root of the bottleneck and resolve it, but there is no point in spending time and energy looking for the culprits. Thus, at the sign of an internal communication problem, identify the emergence of the bottleneck, the motivation and seek ways, together with employees, for a better resolution.