Communication is at the heart of any relationship. It does not even have to be in words. Take, for instance, a newly-born baby. He may not be able to speak. In his first year on the planet, the bundle of joy will fall short in uttering his first words. But he is communicating. He coos, he cries, he squeals. Plus, he employs gestures and body movements.
And true enough, a caring mother won’t need words to know what the baby needs. She understands by putting effort into it.If you want to achieve amazing results in managing workers, communication is key. It is a vital tool in maintaining a long-lasting working relationship at every level of your organization. Even the smallest enterprise will need effective communication to survive, and to a large degree thrive.
Today communication plays an even bigger role than before as more than half of U.S. workers are working remotely. And with the virus showing no signs of slowing down, these things could be the new normal. As you navigate these new waters, ensuring you expand your communication repertoire should work to your advantage. That’s assuming you want to steer your workers to greater productivity.
Fortunately, effective communication isn’t an impossible dream. There are expert methodologies you can apply that should improve your overall outcome, and improve your bottom line as a business leader. What’s more, it’s a win-win scenario everyone would love to pitch in. When managing a remote team, below are key essentials of effective to get started.
The Right Technology Matters
When managing your team remotely, you’d have to rely on technology now more than ever. It’s important that you use the right tool, however, so you get the right message across.
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Video Conversations
Video calls allow a more humane way to communicate. It’s the next best thing to talking in person as you’re actually talking face-to-face. As it is more intimate, it can be a great tool to connect and spark your team towards effective collaboration. This can be used to discuss more personal things (e.g., how your people are feeling).
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Email
When you want to inform and send directives, email is your go-to tool. For instance, new protocols and adjustments in your work scope can be sent to your team leaders via email. This way the message becomes more informative and clearer.
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Direct Message
When you go down to the actual work daily, direct messaging is your tool. It allows members to report possible issues on the work at hand so you can factor in timely adjustments. It also encourages employees to communicate with one another to collaborate in real-time.
Five Ways to Effective Remote Communication
Assuming you’ve settled on the right technology, there are five key aspects you can look into to enhance your communication effectively when managing a remote team.
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Set Clear Goals/Expectations
First and foremost, you should be crystal clear about what you want your team and each worker to achieve. Set your standards on the work at hand. Outlining clearly the goals that each project demands results in more focused action from your team.
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Deliver Your Message in a Clear Manner
The work at hand will only be as refined as how you define it. So it’s important that you be able to deliver your message clearly. This ensures your team will understand what is expected of them clearly and without an iota of doubt. When you get the message across clearly, such clarity gets reflected in the quality of the work at hand.
So, make sure you do some strategic thinking to discern what medium and tech tools suit your message best. In this regard, it’s important that you speak with clarity to your people. As you are using technology, make sure your voice is clear if you decide to do a video conference.
That may mean you will have to deal with speech impediments to speaking fluently. For instance, crooked teeth can be a major source of speech difficulties. If you’re suffering from teeth misalignments, ortho appliances should work wonders for you. In which case, you’ll need to connect with expert orthodontists.
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Keep Everyone in the Loop
One essential aspect of communication is it has to be two-way. You won’t be able to effectively produce a productive team if you close your door to any of your members. So be accessible. Ensure that you establish lines of communication that allow your people to communicate with you at all times. Such an open dialogue allows you to build greater trust and by extrapolation, a stronger team.
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Listen to Your Team
Make sure you are in touch with reality by listening to your team members. If not, your team won’t be able to effectively overcome various issues that sprout while they’re working from home.
It’s all about helping your people produce. When you listen, you will be in a better position to craft a solution to the challenges they face. And reap the handsome rewards thereafter.
