How to Keep Team Members Informed (Team Building Tool Box for Busy Managers Book 3)

How many times have you heard a team member say, "I didn't know that?" or "Gosh, when did that change?" or "I wouldn't have wasted my time on this task if I'd known what direction it was going."

Sadly, it's way too common in a team environment. Most of the time, it's not intentional. Team members don't normally withhold information on purpose. Failure to share information is usually the result of ignorance of what others need, or assumptions about what will happen if and when certain kinds of information are brought up.

Here are some of the common causes of internal team communication issues.

• Team members assume others are already aware of changes and problems.
• Team members may have trouble determining what information is significant to share.
• Team members perceive they have limited opportunities to exchange information.
• Team members may be reluctant to bring up problems for fear of being labeled as "doom-sayers."
• Team members fear the "shoot the messenger" syndrome.
• Team members do not perceive sharing information is part of the accountability they have to the team.

That's why establishing a proactive internal team communication process is so important. It helps each team member understand what needs to be shared when and how important that step is to team effectiveness.

Our work environment today changes at an incredibly rapid pace and high performance teams are distinguished by their ability to handle change in a manner which will not negatively impact team performance. Members of high performing teams work diligently to keep each other informed of changes in such areas as:

• Organizational changes, including structural and personnel changes
• Customer requirements 
• Schedules and timeframes
• Resource availability
• Work methods and procedures
• Legal and regulatory changes

Your team can reap the benefits of having a strong proactive communication process. In this short step-by-step guide you will learn how to establish a proactive communication process to help your team be more effective.