Team Communication: Benefits, Challenges, and Performance

Introduction to Team Communication

Team communication is critical to ensuring that each team member understands the goals of the organization and is working toward those goals. Good team communication also means that if there are questions or concerns about a goal, they are addressed before the team moves forward. This paper addresses both the benefits and challenges of working in teams with respect to team communication, and examines how teams can enhance their performance through better communication practices.

The benefits of good team communication are many. When a team shares common goals and understanding, it becomes stronger and more effective in reaching those goals, because all team members feel valued and necessary to the final outcome. The benefits of working in teams and using clear communication are boundless, but as with any activity, there are also challenges when developing team communication.

Defining Teamwork and Communication Goals

It may be helpful to begin by defining teamwork. Three authors note, "A team has been defined as 'a distinguishable set of two or more people who interact, dynamically, interdependently and adaptively toward a common and valued goal/objective/mission'" (Schraagen, Chipman, & Shalin, 2000, p. 404). Any team communication should therefore be open and feel safe to all team members. This can be a challenge when trying to foster honest communication that includes disagreement and productive discussion. Communication should also be designed so that team members can interact effectively and work toward the common goal the team knows and shares.

Studies indicate that planning in advance of forming the team is essential to obtaining the best results. As three researchers write, "[R]esults indicate that teams with effective preperformance planning had higher degrees of agreement in terms of knowledge structures of team sequences" (Schraagen, Chipman, & Shalin, 2000, p. 440). For the best results, this planning should continue throughout the team's existence.

The Role of Team Leadership in Communication

Much of team communication depends on how team members perceive their team leader and what kinds of communication tactics that leader employs. An overly aggressive team leader may hinder communication and discussion by commanding team members rather than listening to or working with them. On the other hand, a meek team leader may also hinder communication by failing to encourage open discussion — perhaps out of fear of feedback or negative criticism. Either extreme will negatively affect the team as a whole.

Thus, the team leader's communication style and techniques are a vital element of team communication. Any team development process must consider the leader's communication style when the team is formed. Research on effective teamwork consistently points to leadership behavior as one of the strongest predictors of whether a team communicates successfully or breaks down over time.

Conclusion

Team communication is an essential aspect of work, family, and even education. Just about every situation in life contains teams and the opportunity for strong team communication. By following the principles and strategies outlined above, teams can accomplish their goals and objectives quickly and effectively. Without effective communication, an organization's goals can become unclear and difficult to achieve. Team communication is therefore one of the most important aspects of the work environment, and neglecting it could ultimately doom an organization or group to failure.