Have you ever felt like you were communicating clearly, only to have someone say, “We can’t read your mind,”? A few years ago, one of my team members held up a mirror for me and exposed a flaw in my communication. She told me that my team was struggling to figure out what I wanted. I was taken aback because I pride myself in being a good communicator.
After reflecting, I realized that the problem was that I was moving so fast toward my goals, that I hadn’t taken the time to clarify where we were heading, why, and what I expected of each team member. Ouch.
It was a tough lesson, but it reminded me to slow down, get out of my head, put plans on paper, and make sure I have communicated the “why” behind the changes. Getting plans on paper lessens confusion, improves teamwork, and ultimately creates better outcomes.
Bottom line? Get out of your head and onto paper.
Tags: Communication, Standards
