Communicating with confidence

I'm a new manager, and I'm having trouble communicating with my team. Can you provide some guidance on best practices for communication; for example, how would I best communicate that a major change is coming to our unit? Communication with a large group can be complicated. Let's explore some concepts that can help. First, remember that communication is an exchange of information among people. You can only control how you deliver a message. When searching for the most concise answer to your question, I found several valuable resources. A common recommendation among resources on effective communication is to adopt an assertive style of communicating.1,2 It's useful to remember the three Cs of effective assertive communication, which are confidence, clarity, and control.3 If you're new to leadership, sometimes it can be difficult to be confident in your message. Confidence will come with time, but until then, be sure to have all the information you need to share and think about how others could react to the message. Because you can't be sure how team members will respond, being prepared can put you at ease. Delivering a clear message includes being concise and honest.1-3 The last C is for control, which refers to self-control. When you practice self-control, you can be more intentional with your delivery (verbal and nonverbal). Here are eight tips for effective team communication.2 1) Encourage openness and transparency. This tip emphasizes honesty. Being honest builds trust with your team, which can lead to great returns in the future. 2) Respect all opinions. Respecting others' opinions can be difficult at times, but everyone wins when there's mutual respect. You may even learn something by listening to another's point of view. 3) Define roles. Having defined roles clarifies what's expected of each person, which can facilitate cooperation and productivity among team members. 4) Allow two-way feedback. Communication as a conversation gives leaders the opportunity to hear what is and isn't working. This is a helpful technique when rolling out a new initiative as well. Team members can share what they see as the barriers and help resolve those obstacles. 5) Prioritize team building. You can hold off-campus events so members of the unit team can get to know one another on a personal level. If you can't coordinate activities outside of work, bring the events to the worksite. These events should take place in a low-stress environment to help build trust. 6) Develop a routine for communicating. Determine how best to deliver information to your team and facilitate discussions, such as through weekly emails and regular 1:1 and staff meetings. These activities aren't new, but they do need to routinely occur. 7) Practice empathy. Be mindful of others' preferences for how they'd like to communicate and what they want from the interaction, then adapt your communication style accordingly. 8) Lead by example. Role modeling is key, not only in communication, but in all areas of leadership. Many times, I've heard, “as a leader you're always being watched by those around you.” Make sure to practice what you preach. In addition to these tips, I'd recommend researching the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's TeamSTEPPS Program, which offers an evidence-based framework to enhance teamwork and includes a specific section on team leadership.4 Many of the concepts are similar to those listed previously, but there are some added responsibilities that can help you in your journey. By using these tools, you can grow to be more confident in your communication.