Mark Roberts April 12, 2021 Amid the pandemic, we’ve focused so much on how much we’ve evolved. In doing so, we’ve ignored something else the pandemic has brought to the forefront.
We have forgotten to communicate.
Or, maybe we never knew how to communicate, and, as is the case with so many problems, a crisis has only exacerbated it.
A year into the pandemic, we’re settling into the new reality brought with it. Organizations must remedy their shortcomings in many areas. To be successful as the work transitions into the post-COVID era, organizations must learn to communicate once again.
Meet your teams where they are
Everyone has responded to the pandemic differently, and leaders must recognize this fact as they look to communicate with their teams. Some quickly adapted, while others struggled.
There is no one-size-fits-all to working with teams amid the current conditions. Therefore, leaders need to be more fluid in their approach and willing to adjust based on their teams’ needs.
Communicate more without overcommunicating
When everyone worked from the same place, direct communication happened organically, oftentimes in the hallways or the breakroom. Now, organic interactions need to be scheduled, which makes them decidedly less spontaneous.
Because teams now work from separate locations, they need to walk a fine line of communicating more without overcommunication. It could be as simple as quick check-ins.
The danger of overcommunicating is becoming a micromanager, which no one needs — ever. Instead, more frequent communication is about making sure your team is empowered.
If they are, step back; if they aren’t, what can you give them, so they are?
Build trust
Even before the pandemic, many organizations had a lack of trust between employees and leaders. To emerge stronger from the pandemic, teams will need to foster a new level of confidence.
One viable way to accomplish this is to instill an appropriate work-life balance within the team. Just because many are working from home doesn’t mean they’re on the clock 24/7; leaders need to make sure their teams don’t fall into that trap.
Despite the past year’s challenges, companies have before them an incredible opportunity. Success is attainable, but it demands a stable organizational foundation, which begins with how teams effectively communicate.
Is your approach fitting for the new business paradigm?
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