Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS KEEP TEAMS ON TRACK
Communication skills keep teams on track
By Jody Spiro and Lucas Held
Categories: Collaboration, LeadershipJune 2024
Good communication skills are essential for leadership teams to function well and meet their goals. Communication is fundamental to all aspects of teams’ work, including the steps of getting off the ground and establishing early wins, which we have written about in previous columns in this series (Spiro & Fisher, 2024; Spiro & Reyes-Guerra, 2024). Strong communication skills are especially important today because stress and political polarization are high (National SAM Innovation Project, 2024). These factors can test and undermine relationship skills and therefore compromise team coherence and productivity. Under these circumstances, it can be helpful to reinforce and extend communication skills, even for people who consider themselves to be good communicators. Here are four ways to do that in the context of leadership teams.
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References
Mok, P.P. (1975). Communications styles technology. Training Associates Press.
National SAM Innovation Project. (2024, February 29). High conflict: Understanding and navigating a polarized environment [Video]. Samprocess.com. bit.ly/3xYhfeL
Spiro, J. (2015). High-payoff strategies. Jossey-Bass.
Spiro, J. & Fisher, D. (2024, February). Strong teams start with collective vision and early wins. The Learning Professional, 45(1), 14-15.
Spiro, J. & Reyes-Guerra, D. (2024, April). Teams maintain momentum with early wins. The Learning Professional, 45(2), 16-17.
Jody Spiro (jodyspiro50@gmail.com) is a professor and author in education leadership and systems change and a senior advisor to Learning Forward.
Lucas Bernays Held is an independent, strategic communications consultant with more than three decades of experience leading communication teams with measurable results at three non-profits with national reach. A member of the Change Leadership Collaborative, he has led communications teams at The Wallace Foundation, Barnard College of Columbia University and Connecticut College. He holds a certificate in marketing management from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Haverford College.
Categories: Collaboration, Leadership
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