Working within a group environment has benefits and challenges. Some of the challenges can be having a mixed group of personalities and how then adapt with one another is a key indicator of the success of a project. How they come to an agreement and ensure they meet their goals is also a challenge but the benefits can be so rewarding within a business environment. The opportunity to share creative ideas, brainstorm together on obstacles and create a team environment is imperative to a business with complicated goals.
The key to having a successful communication within a group is to ensure that everyone respects every idea that is contributed, to make sure that each individual is responsible for their actions, the ability to resolve a conflict by listening to everyone’s thoughts and ideas, the ability to take on your specific role and take it to the end of your goals, and most important ensure that your team is organized.
A group communication or setting is the ability for 3 – 20 people to exchange their thoughts, listen to who is speaking and be able to exchange their perspectives on ideas. The ability to debate intelligently while still respecting one another while resolving any conflicts, and most importantly reaching the company’s or business goals as a team.
Every day I try to improve my individual communication by sharpening my listening skills, create more eye contact when I am in the middle of a conversation, read the dictionary so that I can expand my conversation through vocabulary and of course read as much as possible. To promote my group communications I always try to understand that not everyone is like me and that I have to accept different opinions and personalities. Although people don’t think like me to understand their views and if I can’t understand their thoughts still respect them as a team member.
When I find myself in a conflicted situation I always try and follow the rules, which is to stay calm, try to understand the person’s views (although different from my own), once the person has stated their opinion respond with I respect your thoughts but I think, take responsibility for your actions and make sure you are accountable and if this is still not enough excuse yourself from the conversation, take a breather and come back to a healthy and respectable debate.
The key strategy to fostering communication within my group is to always make it a brainstorming session. Hear everyone’s thoughts and report it back to the team, assign roles and think of ways on how to meet your goals. Once you have established your framework it is very easy for the team to have takeaways and responsibility where everyone can be successful within their own role. Listening and assigning individuals with a specific task makes sure everyone is a captain of their own goal and gives them the pride to meet the goal as a team.