How do you communicate effectively with your team?

Get to know your audience, but get to know 'you' too... That way, you can bring your strengths to the party, which 100% feels real!

Body language says a great deal about our attitude. Tension usually reflects lack of confidence or trust. Same applies with boredom. Getting to know your audience takes time. Ask questions, show you want to get to know them.

Think outside of the obvious. I work in higher education, and often people only consider the adult-age student as their only audience, but an experienced higher education professional knows that most college-age students are still in regular contact with their family of origin, or have another familial support system that they rely on for the success of their education. I often create multiple messages that address not only the college student, but their parents, families, and friends. Not only does this ensure clear and broad information sharing, but it helps to build relationships that last.

Communicating effectively with your team is crucial for productivity, collaboration, and maintaining a positive work environment. Communicating effectively with your team is crucial for productivity. By fostering a culture of open communication, you can build strong relationships, enhance collaboration, and achieve better outcomes. Be approachable team members will feel comfortable coming to you with questions, concerns, or ideas. Foster an open-door policy. Conduct regular team meetings Recognise and celebrate team achievements it boosts morale and motivates the team.

Nothing is better than your voice, live face-to-face, video call or recorded video message. I learnt this the hard way recently. Someone I was working with did not respond well to messages, but my 'easy' communication method was WhatsApp. We need to try much harder to get this right.

Verbal and written communication will require you to know your audience. Think of the email you need to send your production team. You will definitely incorporate event industry jargon. If you’re sending a written message to attendees, I definitely agree to avoid jargon and this is where being clear and concise is an absolute must. Use the write, rewrite, and write again method to help you get rid of unnecessary details. As for verbal communication in our industry, you need to cut to the chase given the speed in which we work during showtime.

And plan your words ahead of time for in-person, phone, or video communication. When I don't plan what I'm going to say, the discomfort of a confrontation can be enough to muddle my message and make me less precise. In the end, it's worth saying the thing that needs to be said in the moment it needs to be said.

When I listen to others, I show them that : I do care, I do respect and I am open to learn (and even change my mind) When others listen to me, they show me that: They do care, they do respect and they are open to learn (and even change their mind)

Listen with all your body: ears, eyes, hands...the more clear is to everyone that you are actually listen, the better the communication. Same applies when you talk.

When you ask a question, you are "wasting" an opportunity to keep on talking about YOUR ideas, YOUR opinion...instead, you are "risking" to listen and learn something new and understand better other people´s thoughts.

A clear and consistent follow-up process makes things much easier and effective to everyone. Set your own system and put it in practice.