It is normal for the fourth quarter push to move us away from optimal team communication. Instead of whole group connection there may be a tendency to splinter off into pairs or for a peer to go it alone.
Splintered communication can be guised as time savers, encouragement, and well-intentioned co-workers. The signs initially may look like the following common scenarios.
· Employees act like they are on the television show Survivor in the midst of a special challenge. There are only the sound clips of individuals or pairs “Hold on just a bit longer,” “Keep climbing,” and “Go faster.”
· Assumptions are made by one or a few on yet to be clarified items of significance. They “know” already how each member will respond or why a specific challenge or success materializes.
· Disconnection shows-up in the decrease of group energy toward the same vision. Individual agendas are shoe-horned in and the original focus is cloudy.
To move closer to a return of group communication engage with the team lead or project champion. Follow the four guidelines below to stay on track.
1. Express the feeling.
2. Describe the experience.
3. Name the cost.
4. Make it happen.
For example, “I felt disconnected when I delivered a product that was not what the team expected. It is disconcerting to have a miss in clarity and loss of valuable time during the fourth quarter. However, I am excited to see what our shared vision could look like again if we re-engage in our group conversations. How does Tuesdays at 9:00AM on a virtual call sound?”