Over the last two years I have been thinking and reading a lot about communication strategies, particularly on remote teams and when starting new working relationships. My big takeaways so far are not going to surprise anyone: we need to be intentional about how we set up our communication strategies, we assume way too much about how other people want (and don’t want) to be connected, and we don’t have enough strategies ready to deploy.
A client recently passed along a new strategy that she gleaned from someone she’s on-boarding, and I really love everything about the strategy and how she learned about it. I asked if I could share it with the people who read this blog, and she generously agreed.
Here is what she wrote:
So, I have been interviewing a lot and one of the questions I ask is about leadership lessons. Good or bad.
I am adopting one that I will share with you.When she was hired [at her last job], her new boss gave her a letter that talked about himself and who he was. In their first meeting, they discussed communication styles and ways of working. I thought it was fantastic. Well, we hired her and I am currently writing my letter to her. We are actually going to do this as a team exercise once she starts. 🙂
Intentional? Check.
Gets rid of assumptions? Check.
Creates a strong and replicable strategy? Check!
I have been creating a new client questionnaire that gets at many of the same topics: What is your preferred method of communication? How often do you like to check your email? What’s the best time of day/week for me to send a) time-sensitive queries or b) emails for your reference? Describe your communication style when you’re relaxed and when you’re under pressure. Do you think of yourself as more reserved or outgoing? How do others describe you?
These questions are just a start, but asking them shows that we believe the answers matter.
What do you want the people working with you to know about you, how you work, and your communication preferences? How do you make sure people know about those things? How can you go further to implement these as a strategy at your organization or on your team?
