There is nothing more important to a company and a project's success than effective and clear communication among team members. Good communication provides benefits to the company and to the team members that practice it. When you have effective team communication, as Aristotle said, "the whole is more than the sum of its parts." Skillful team communication creates awareness and understanding that promotes proficiency as team members complete their tasks. The elements of good team communication help a company to achieve and sustain profit.
Advantages
Team communication helps to develop understanding and increase productivity among team members. When team members are productive, work projects are completed timely, which enhances business continuity. Timely completed projects results in faster invoicing turnaround and cash flow for the company. Effective communication also builds trust among team members while it serves to create a safe and secure working environment. When team members gain the same understanding about project goals and objectives, work proceeds smoothly and efficiently. This ultimately provides short- and long-term benefits to the company.
Elements
The elements of beneficial communication among team members include organization, tone, clarity, style, language usage and feedback. Good team communications help employees to understand their role and responsibilities to both the team and the company. Another element of good communication is active listening. Strong team communication teaches people how to listen and speak respectfully in a group setting. To foster communication among team members, allow open communication and encourage respect for each team member's opinion. These skills translate well to all aspects of business when working with people from multiple backgrounds and levels of the company.
Value
The value of sound communication among team members is that it ensures that everyone receives the same message. Because each person processes information differently, helpful communication permits feedback and encourages questions that impart clarification. Many of today's companies have a multicultural workforce, sometimes a barrier to communication. Good team interaction enhances cross-cultural communication and understanding. It helps to develop camaraderie among team members that makes team projects productive and ultimately valuable to the company.
Cooperation
Good team communication teaches cooperation among team members that expands to other areas of business life. When a company has employees that cooperate in or out of a team, work projects and processes run more efficiently. Communication and cooperation provide the grease that keeps a company solvent and profitable. A cooperative attitude allows people to work together to arrive at solutions that provides both tangible and intangible benefits to the company.
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Writer Bio
As a native Californian, artist, journalist and published author, Laurie Brenner began writing professionally in 1975. She has written for newspapers, magazines, online publications and sites. Brenner graduated from San Diego's Coleman College.