If you are like many of the leaders I work with, you may have noticed the relationship connections and collaboration on your team slowly deteriorating over the last 18 months.
The survival mode of the pandemic has taxed relationships like never before and without some intentional relationship deposits, trust begins to erode.
One of the quickest ways to establish and build trust is through timely, clear, open, and honest communication.
To put it simply, transparency.
You may have been too busy to communicate or worried about divulging too much as you’ve navigated through these uncertain times. Transparency in communication is a critical commodity for high-performing teams because it is a quick way to establish trust.
Of course, not always can every single detail be divulged. But during survival mode, it’s normal to intentionally or inadvertently keep things secret or make directives complicated because you are navigating in uncertain conditions.
Honestly answer these questions.
Do you:
- Hide important details from your team that could help with their efficiency?
- Make it difficult to know or understand your intentions or vision?
- Complicate instructions leading to confusion?
- Remain silent and not provide feedback or initiate conversation?
Transparency in your communication leads to better team performance.
Whether real or perceived, the lack of transparency in your communication will slow down your team’s performance. It erodes trust and ultimately stops collaboration.
You can combat the signs of distrust within your team by striving to:
- Disclose all relevant information business performance
- Share important details about project expectations
- Explain your decisions or reasoning
- Ask and allow questions
- Provide feedback
- Speak honestly
Becoming more transparent is as simple as taking one step at a time. For example, make the effort of explaining your decisions this week. Notice how each step can bring about a positive change. For your team to become high-performing, remember to keep things simple and open to build trust with transparency in your communication.
If you’re feeling the rumbling of team distrust in your organization, it may be time for a connection tune-up. Schedule a complimentary consultation and let’s talk about transparency in your communication. The Communication Impact Workshop may be the right step forward for your team.
