Talking to Your Team Members (Between the Big Goals, Questions, and Meetings)

You’ve probably had many experiences thinking you’ve explained something your team needs to be doing now—due to new products, new opportunities, or wanting to emphasize a particular goal or correct a common mistake. Although you may have made a big deal about it at the last group meeting or regional get together, and you assumed everyone understood, the likely possibility is that most people missed it and the very same challenge will pop up over and over.

The root cause of this issue being forgotten is the same as for most other management topics—a scarcity of attention due to so many priorities, but if it is truly important then you are the “owner” of whether or not your team has been informed and educated about what it is, how to do it, and making sure they can differentiate this set of instructions from what they are already doing, eliminating confusion.

Feedback Skills Put You in Practice for Quick, Spontaneous Meetings As you dive further and further into the world of everyday feedback, you will be comfortable with bringing up any topic that could lead to your group’s improvement. If you see a few people in the office already, you can call an “In Between” meeting for those present. Maybe new Sales information has been released and you can help your team members put it to use speedily. Be sure to cover:

1. Why you think the information you are drawing to their attention is of interest for them.

2. How they can use the information in different ways.

3. What do they have to do to make their point with customers or clients.

4. Ask: What difficulties have they had in implementing or communicating this new information.

5. Q & A from attendees. Answer as pragmatically as possible so they can use the new information as a new everyday business tool!

Now ask them how they will use the new information or process with their particular clients. As they tell their stories, probe to find out a little more so that you can be sure they are engaging with this new information and ready to get it out into their known world.

What are you doing that’s so special? You are doing what all great leaders do. You are speaking up to signal the positive opportunities you see in their environment. You are sharing competitive advantage, you are helping everyone get smarter and use all the opportunities available to them to lead their field and your field.

You’re not taking for granted that “Of course they know this,” or “will do that.” They can rely on their leader to help them work the smartest and armed with the very best information!

“A concise and effective tool… It provides context, inspiration, and great actionable content.”

— Mark Holzbach, Creative and Tech Community Connector, Co-Founder, Zebra Imaging