As an entrepreneur, you know effective communication is critical — whether that’s telling investors why your venture is worth funding or your target audience why they should buy your product. But without a doubt, open internal communication is the key to startup success.
Companies that lack communication create problems that snowball into larger issues. Often, an unresponsive manager perpetuates this cycle of miscommunication, which can erode employees’ trust and leave them feeling invisible.
On the other hand, companies that effectively utilize employee feedback can identify problems quickly and take action to strengthen their businesses as a whole.
Take ShoreTel’s approach to communication, for example. When the Silicon Valley powerhouse acquired New York-based startup M5, a lot of employees were working remotely. However, ShoreTel made gathering regular employee feedback a priority during the merger to keep all employees on the same wavelength. ShoreTel consistently communicated with and aligned employees during the merger by using an online weekly report system. This communication was vital in fusing the two unique workplace cultures into one continually growing company.
By breaking down the walls that keep you from communicating effectively with your employees, you’ll have a better understanding of how to easily give feedback that satisfies your employees and collect feedback that benefits the company.
The Importance of Strong Communication
Healthy relationships and dynamic communication between employees and their managers are two major factors that play into employee satisfaction. As a company leader, it’s vital to build relationships on the foundation that strong communication generates success.
By listening to employee feedback and providing feedback yourself, you’re in a position to help your team members perform beyond their potential. However, not responding to employee feedback will make your team feel devalued and unheard — especially in a fast-paced business environment.
The business world is constantly evolving, and employee concerns and complaints can easily fall through the cracks. Because of this, completing a performance evaluation once a year is far too infrequent. Instead, perform check-ins and performance reviews on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis.
This kind of visibility allows you to step in and correct an issue before it escalates and gauge whether your employees are feeling overburdened or growing complacent. Instilling the notion that strong communication is the key to a successful company will motivate your employees to rise to meet that standard.
Get the Feedback You Want
Often, managers stifle themselves when they rely too heavily on their own expectations of how and when employees should provide feedback. Yes, communication is a two-way street, but you’re the superior, and you need to be the one who opens that line of communication.
Here are four key ways you can keep a line of communication open:
1. Let employees know they’re being heard. Appreciation goes a long way, and it’s more than just a pat on the back. You can’t simply say, “Good work on that project; see you in six months.” Think of it like this: If you spent the majority of your time at the office, wouldn’t you want your efforts to be acknowledged? Let your employees know that their work has a valuable impact on the company.
2. Ask clarifying questions. If an employee presents an interesting idea, follow up with questions that dig deeper. Find out whether he’s identified the best approach to take and how it would benefit the company. Picking an employee’s brain allows him to grow into an ownership role by showcasing what he can provide the company. What’s more, without even realizing it, you might be grooming someone for a managerial role.
3. Create a dialogue. Rather than engaging in a back-and-forth conversation with your employees, consider inviting other team members to join. Sometimes, an open-ended conversation — that isn’t focused on the next step to take — can go a long way in terms of potential growth and change, for both the employee and the company.
4. Be honest. It isn’t always easy obtaining feedback from your employees, and giving understandable and actionable feedback isn’t exactly a walk in the park, either. But just remember to be honest, brief, and outcome-focused throughout the process.
Although some employees will take constructive criticism better than others, providing this honest feedback will ultimately cultivate trust among your employees. So focus your feedback on conveying the results you want to achieve, rather than dwelling on an issue and rephrasing your point repeatedly. Be brief, and get your point across in a clear and concise manner.
Don’t be afraid to communicate with your employees. It will be easier for them to provide feedback if they trust you, and the best way to do that is by being visible, accessible, and appreciative. By approaching communication in this fashion, employees will not only value your feedback, but they’ll also be more willing to give the feedback you need to help the company grow and prosper.