No manager openly admits that his team or company does not share information and opinions openly. All of them say they are open and willing to listen to anyone who has something to say. In reality, however, many managers actively encourage silence. They know or suspect their employees hide important information, but do nothing about it. This is how they send a signal that doing one's job without complications is correct. If you want to learn whether your team is too silent, ask yourself the following questions as highlighted on fastcompany.com.
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When was the last time somebody openly disagreed with you at a meeting?
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When was the last time someone told you there is a problem in the company you are overlooking?
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Do you receive timely and unbiased information from your people so that you can make good decisions?
If you are not sure about the answers, communication within your team is lagging. But don't panic, try the following steps.
Learn to listen
Your brain can think three times faster than others can speak. However, this does not mean that you should judge others in your mind before they express their opinions. Do not construct arguments in your mind instead of listening. Pay full attention to the message, including nonverbal signals, and then respond.
Remember you don't have to know all the answers
Your people may feel there is no point in telling you their opinions, because their recommendations are always ignored. If you want to get rid of the bad habit of letting the others know how you know better about everything, it is quite easy. Ask yourself in your mind: "Have I hired stupid people to be on my team?" Then answer a decisive "no" and give them enough room to talk. Keep silent. Do not make any decisions, and wait.
Show respect instead of arrogance
When your people are speaking, resist the temptation to express your opinion immediately. First, repeat what you have heard and make sure you understand correctly. Do not add any further information and do offer any solutions. If there are more people present, ask all of them to give their views. This may sound like a waste of time, but the opposite is true. You will show clearly that you are willing to listen and decide correctly.
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