Channels of Communication
A TEAM TOOL: COMPETENCE & PERFORMANCE
Communication of incorrect or outdated information, or using suboptimal communication channels can waste time and cost money. Use this tool to streamline your team’s communication processes and build connection.
Purpose
To help teams set clear ways of working around communication channels.
Typical scenarios
- Incorrect or ineffective communication
- Incorrect communication channels are being used
- Remote working puts pressure on relational bonds and causes impersonal communication
Why this is important
There is a higher chance of time being wasted and negative potential business implications when:
- Incorrect or outdated information is shared and used within a team
- The wrong communication channels are used, resulting in important information slipping through the cracks and unnecessary conflict.
- Communication never moves beyond a shallow level, limiting team growth.
This tool aims to provide principles of communication within teams to facilitate saving time and building healthy relationships.
The process
Steps for optimising channels of communication
Teams with high levels of connection and good relationships with each other have a significantly higher level of communication and save a considerable amount of time compared to teams with low relational strength.
Trust and connection are the foundational pillars of good communication. See the Building Trust tool for how to build trust within the team. This tool is aimed at building relational connections. The 4 levels of communication framework helps teams access deeper levels of communication which will result in deeper levels of connection.
The 4 Levels of Communication:
Level 1: Chit-chat and talking about facts
Level 2: Sharing opinions and solutions
Level 3: Sharing feelings and expressing emotions
Level 4: Sharing at a heart-to-heart level
Most teams are comfortable sharing up to level 2 (opinions and solutions), but crossing the barrier to level 3 (sharing feelings and emotions) requires time and trust — you should never just force it.
Choosing which level of communication is appropriate for which situation is important. To develop deeper relationships you need to focus more on conversations at levels 3 and 4, whilst remembering that it might take time to move to deeper levels in conversations. You need to cross the vulnerability threshold to progress to level 3.
But why do we dig into levels 3 and 4? Is it appropriate to enter those levels within a business setting? Absolutely! Empathy is a key point in many marketing and product design processes and to develop empathy, comfort with level 3 and 4 conversations is crucial. And if a colleague or team member isn’t performing to their usual standard, a level 3 or 4 conversation could illuminate the personal challenges behind their struggles, allowing the team leader to facilitate the situation and potentially empower the employee instead of adding additional stress.
Similarly, if a buyer can converse with a supplier on a more relational level — sharing frustrations, appreciation and even discussing family matters — the supplier will often value the working relationship much more than if it were exclusively factual conversations about prices and stock availability. In the same way, admin staff and
Employees who can enter into deeper levels of communication have a higher chance of influence and success than their counterparts. Each team member needs to learn the skill of entering deeper levels of communication, even within conversations with clients and suppliers.
The most common communication channels are:
- instant messaging (e.g. Slack, Telegram, Whatsapp),
- email,
- collaboration tools (e.g. Google docs, Trello),
- video conferencing (e.g. Zoom, MS Teams),
- phone calls and
- face-to-face meetings.
Every team member needs to know when to use which communication channel. The decision lies with the reason for the communication.
The table below clarifies the strengths and weaknesses of each communication channel, and the levels of communication that are likely within each channel.
Use the template below and discuss the pros and cons of using each communication channel in your team. Add items that will assist in better communication for your team for each communication channel. Also clarify expectations on what can be expected as a reasonable response time for a reply.
Channels of Communication Sample Spreadsheet
| COMMUNICATION CHANNEL | GOOD FOR | BAD FOR | EXPECTED RESPONSE TIME |
| Instant Messaging | Quick, factual answers | Resolving conflict, discussing sensitive issues | ...hours |
| Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | |
| Emails | Feedback for a large group that doesn't require fast response | Anything that needs a quick response | ...days |
| Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | |
| Collaboration tools | Real-time collaborative work, digital brainstorming | Resolving conflict, discussing sensitive issues, brainstorming that requires extensive or face-to-face collaboration | N/A |
| Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | |
| Video conference | Planning and discussion between dispersed decision-makers, sensetive one-on-ones, brainstorming in remote teams on time-sensitive projects | Where the objective could be met through more efficient methods such as IM, email or a collaboration tool | N/A |
| Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | |
| Phone calls | Urgent matters | Out-of-office hours, Where the objective could be met through more efficient methods such as IM, email or a collaboration tool | If a missed call, |
| Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | |
| Face-to-face | When there is a clear goal in mind that can be accomplished in an hour or less, resolving conflict or discussing sensitive issues | When some decision-makers cannot be present, where the objective could be met through more efficient methods such as IM, email or a collaboration tool | N/A |
| Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here | Your team's answers here |