Any project relies heavily on the communication between all parties involved. This means that the more effective and timely important information is transferred, the higher the chances are that the project will be a major success.
Whether it is regarding communication within your team or clients and shareholders, there is no denying that exchanging information in a clear, concise and timely manner is the glue that holds different aspects of the project together. Whatever your objective, strategy or budget may be, you can be sure that an open communication culture will bring about benefits you wish to see. In other words, risks are minimized and opportunities are widened and strengthened.
Below, we outline the 6 steps you can follow for implementing successful project communication culture in any organization:
Develop an effective communication strategy
The first step is to develop a communication strategy for the project. Ask the questions – who must be informed? What kind of communication will be needed? How frequently will you need to communicate? What information must be included in the communication? And finally, who needs to and can known what? Answering these questions will help come up with an effective communication strategy.
Make sure everyone knows communication is a two-way street
Many people tend to think that communication only means sending whatever information they have to. This is not true. For effective communication to happen, the information sent across must not only be received, but understood as well. Communication is a two-way street and without understanding from both parties, it cannot be considered effective.
Employ different channels of communication
The more channels of communication you have with your team and superiors, or with your clients and shareholders, the more touchpoints you have and the easier you connect with them in a timely manner. Use different methods of communication including phone calls, e-mails, text messages, video call, etc apart from meetings.
Develop project scope with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
Project scope must always be established, along with roles and responsibilities for each member of the team. This really helps in building trust and improving communication between your team as each member clearly knows what they are in charge of and what to do when things don’t go as planned.
Share every little detail of the project in a timely manner
Between team members and clients, details of the project must be shared in the form of concise and timely updates. No one likes being kept in the dark, so always make sure information is delivered on time in an easily understandable manner if you want any project to be a success.
Don’t hesitate to al for help when you need it
No one is a master of everything so no one will think any less of you if you are struggling in certain areas and ask for help. Never hesitate to ask for advise from those with more skills and experience as this can mark the difference between the success and failure of a project.
If you follow these steps mentioned, communication – both internal and external – will be much smoother, aiding you along every step of the way.
