Open Communication

Open communication fosters trust, encourages innovation, and prevents misunderstandings. It’s about creating an environment where all team members feel safe to express ideas, concerns, and feedback and ask what you might think is a silly question…

This brings me back to half-time team talks in the ’80s and ’90s. On one particular occasion, Jim Smith (my excellent but old-school Derby County manager) used more expletives than meaningful words, ending in a one-way tirade at our goalkeeper. Yes, he made a mistake that cost us a goal in the first half, but in the second half, he shrunk 6 inches and wouldn’t leave his goal line….and we conceded two more! This is an extreme example, but you get the drift!

Key aspects:

• Psychological safety: Team members should feel comfortable taking interpersonal risks.

Enables honest feedback, innovative ideas and admission of mistakes.

• Active listening: Encourage team members to truly hear and consider others’ perspectives. This leads to messages being accurately received and understood. If you still aren’t clear, ask a question!
• Transparent information sharing: Ensure all relevant information is accessible to the team

I came across a company with a “no-stupid-questions” policy in team meetings, encouraging even junior members to speak up. It worked a treat—if you don’t know the answer, then the question is not stupid!

Many tools exist, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, which are great for creating open channels for different projects or topics and allowing for accessible, transparent communication. The tools and learning are there; it’s now up to you how you use them.

#Communication #Leadership #DreamTeam