Love is a Work of Heart

Why Communicating is Crucial for Team Spirit

I recently interviewed a candidate who brought me to tears and made me realize there’s a lot to be said about the simple act of communication.

I know what you’re thinking, you cried? I’m not going to lie, happy tears fell. Why? Because as I heard his inspiring story of turning the company’s worst facility for employee retention to eventually becoming the best, I uncovered his simple strategy: implement a monthly meeting where EVERYONE attends. Not only that, but he asked department heads to discuss current projects, issues at hand, and upcoming deadlines. After everyone presented, he took questions and/or suggestions on tackling the facility’s collective goals.

After several months, everyone knew what was going on and how their role contributed to the facility’s larger ambitions. When asked how he knew the meetings were making a difference, he mentioned a team energy that evolved: employees eagerly shared their ideas and started helping other departments who were behind. Within a two-year span, employee turnover decreased by over 20%. And you know what? The employees were extremely proud of their accomplishments and went on to implement similar processes across all locations.

Similar collaborative processes are seldom used in companies. To communicate effectively, however, we need to show everyone how they fit in the big picture and allow time for questions, ideas, and updates to create a team-environment that so many of us are searching for. Or more simply defined via John Maxwell,

“teamwork makes the dreamwork.”