If you have ever led a team meeting and got to the Q & A at the end and the room was filled with an uncomfortable silence? You might want to invest some time in building trust so that your employees will open up more.
Encouraging open communication gives you a chance to nip in the bud any problems that if left unchecked could lead to resentments, a drop in morale, lower productivity, and even higher staff turnover.
Here is what to do.
1. Make active listening a habit.
Active listening means looking at someone with your full attention when you are speaking to them, avoid interrupting, and making sure you heard them right by paraphrasing what they said back to you. Use phrases like, “So, you are saying that….”
When doing this, beware of having your mobile phone too close. Studies have shown that simply having it next to you makes people feel that you are not truly listening. Let the other person see you switch it off and put it down to send them the signal that they have your undivided attention.
2. Use non-judgmental phrases instead of jumping in with an opinion.
When you say a simple “thanks for sharing”, or “thank you, I’m going to think about that” you build trust. This is much more effective than immediately jumping in and giving an opinion. Of course, you don’t have to accept every new idea or act on it, but acknowledging you understand their position will encourage people to open about more things in the future.
3. Give people a heads up.
Sharing topics and agenda items in advance gives people the chance to process information, and some people need more time than others. You don’t need to send out a formal memo, just casually mentioning what is coming up can help. You could say “Let’s grab a few minutes tomorrow morning. I’m thinking about ways to improve communication in the workplace and I would like to get your thoughts.”
4. Ask for specifics.
Instead of saying “Can you give me some feedback” Try this approach instead, “Thanks for the positive feedback, but I can always get better. If you had to pick one thing for me to work on, what you say that should be?”
5. Change the perspective
This tip can work well if someone is shy, or you have not built a lot of trust with them yet. Try asking them “So, what do you think others think about communication here? Has anyone mentioned any ideas that could make things better?” People often feel more comfortable giving feedback on behalf of “others” rather than giving their own thoughts.
It might take a while to change a culture from one of silence to one of honest and open communication, but it can lead to a healthier atmosphere in which employees and employers and their businesses thrive rather than survive.