Transformation Starts with You

As a small business owner and service provider, you've likely experienced the journey from solopreneur to leading a team. This transition requires a shift - from doing all the work yourself to empowering and guiding others. As Patrick McBane says, "If you have influence over one person, you are a leader."

If you have influence over one person, you are a leader." Patrick McBane

Great leaders never stop learning, and I'm assuming you fall into that category since you're here reading this. So, let's dive into some common communication challenges teams face and how to overcome them using simple (but not necessarily easy) tools.

Symptoms of Poor Communication

Does your team struggle with any of these issues?

• Confusion and Misunderstanding: Team members unclear on roles, tasks, or goals. Instructions get misinterpreted, leading to errors.

• Increased Conflict: Misunderstandings and assumptions lead to disagreements that escalate.

• Lack of Accountability: Unclear expectations make it hard to hold people responsible.

• Delays and Missed Deadlines: Miscommunication around timelines, priorities, and ownership.

• Low Morale and Engagement: Disjointed, uninformed teams feel disconnected and frustrated.

• Reduced Collaboration: Siloed work with lack of idea-sharing and problem-solving.

• Ineffective Meetings: Unproductive gatherings with unclear agendas and no follow-up.

• Unclear Decision-Making: Delays and misalignment due to unclear processes.

• Fragmented Information: Incomplete or conflicting details leaving some team members out.

If these sound familiar, it's time to focus on improving your communication.

The Art of Listening

Often, we forget that people don't hear what we say, they hear what they think we said. As leaders, we have to be aware that our team members aren't necessarily listening to understand - they're listening to hear what they need or want to hear.

The solution? Become a master questioner and listener. Ask thoughtful questions to truly understand your team's perspectives, concerns, and needs. Then adapt your communication style to ensure your message is received as intended.

A great model to follow: "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I understand."

I often help businesses empower their teams through processes, systems, and training. It seems like I come in and help the team set up a project management software tool. What I actually do is talk to the team members doing the work.

• What are they doing?

• Why are they doing it that way (in their words, not the company's expectations)?

• How do other team members work impact theirs?

Start with these 3 questions. It may bring to light inefficiencies that are due unwritten assumptions or cultural norms that you as the business owner are completely unaware of.

How can you start involving your team more in creating processes, resolving issues, or planning next steps?

When is the last time you asked your team "how would you solve this?"

Fostering open, thoughtful communication is key to building empowered, engaged teams. Start with these simple (but not easy) tools and watch your business transformation unfold.

Want to learn more about building empowered teams through effective communication, systems, and human-centered training? Let's chat!