Communication when collaborating

Strong communication skills are seen as a pre-requisite for all business leaders now; they are expected to be articulate speakers, clear writers and thoughtful listeners. But what communication skills are needed in change management? 

We asked Programme Director and Stellarmann associate Matthew Forey to share his principles for successful communication.

1. Tell stories

Within project teams there are always natural storytellers who can spin emotion out of a dry subject, or create a relatable analogy to explain a complex topic. Storytelling allows you to build consensus and connect with your audience on a deeper level, helping to embed your vision for the project and establish shared language.

If this doesn’t come naturally to you, there are a few simple ideas to help you step out of your comfort zone.

Reflect on past successes

Knowing when to use past project and work experience to explain an idea is very effective. Reflecting on past successes and failures is important for teams to know what can and cannot work in a specific work-stream or solution. Sometimes accepting what won’t work often helps narrow down the pathways to success.

Teams in various stages of their collaboration can easily lose sight of the bigger picture. Storytellers remind people of their narrative to stop them from getting lost in the weeds. An emotive story can also allow each team member to run with the theme, explaining their role in that context.

2. Exude positivity

We all remember leaders whose openness and relaxed approach encouraged not only individual but team communication. They create an environment of psychological safety that allows for positive debate and an ability to show vulnerability.

It goes without saying that leaders should always treat their reports with dignity and respect. And if someone has gone above and beyond the call of duty, their contributions should be showcased and applauded. Positive reinforcement can have a transformative impact on communication as a whole.

Stop, start, carry on?

Simply asking a team what they would start, stop and continue within the ways of working in a project can open up communication pathways that may have previously been lacking or stagnant. Welcoming these suggestions in a non-judgmental way, builds trust within teams and encourages those with ideas to contribute to collective planning and decision making.

3. Don’t fear feedback

Project teams and leaders can get stuck on the precise detail when deciding on what approach to take within a project. This often results in scenarios where feedback is unwelcome or something to be feared.

However, embracing both upward and downward feedback is key to ensure lessons are learned from previous projects and new ideas are heard. Leaders should build out problem statements with their teams to quickly identify and remediate issues as and when they arise. This ensures feedback can be encouraged at all levels up to and including the executive committee.

Learn from mistakes

Difficult feedback should generally be given one-to-one, rather than calling out individuals or workstreams in a group setting, thus avoiding team members becoming demoralised or marginalised.

However, collaborating on solutions when things go wrong is not to be dismissed. Bringing people together from all functions including business and technology encourages teams to make harmonious decisions and collectively agree when something has gone off track. Ultimately teams who are not afraid to fail together are stronger in their communication and delivery.

For more insights on how to inspire project teams, download our whitepaper here.