One of the biggest challenges Team Leaders face is communication. And yet, communication is also one of the most critical aspects of leadership. Without good communication, Team Leaders can fail to gain commitment from their PSAs, fail to achieve their business goals and fail to develop rapport with their PSAs. In short, they can fail as Team Leaders no matter how good their intentions may be.
As a Team Leader you’ll need to figure out what works best to keep your new PSAs coherent, productive and motivated. You’ll need to put in place best communication strategies with your new PSAs.
How to set up proper communications with your new PSAs?
- In a virtual environment (online), you need to create opportunities for your new PSAs to just “chat” both formally and informally. Some effective options are SFIM, online chat rooms such as Skype, and video conferencing (free on Google+ Hangout). Your new PSAs will have a firsthand in getting to know you. Give them a warm welcome and short introduction about yourself.
- Always set your SFIM chat open. Your new PSAs can leave messages for you. It’s essential to keep this chat alive but not distracting. There’s enough conversation to be able to discuss important issues and to feel like you’re connected as one team, but not so much that it becomes distracting. This can also serve as social connection with your new PSAs.
- Choose the right communication style. Depending on your needs, choose the type of communication that works best for you:
1. Email/Team mail – For quick interactions
2. Chat programs – SFIM, Skype or Google chat are great for quick instant messages and for creating a team chat environment.
3. Phone calls or video chat – Some types of communication should only be handled over the phone. Any kind of emotional issue such as performance problems should be handled over the phone or one on one email support. Video chat would be even better as it gives you more visual cues of what is going on with the other person.
4. Creating a short video – It’s very easy to create a video of yourself on YouTube using your webcam.
- Use screen sharing tools.
There are tools that enable you to share your screen so that your new PSAs can see exactly what you are doing. Skype has screen sharing capability but without any option to control another computer remotely.
Communication takes effort. But it is effort well-spent given the benefits—a more pleasant, more productive work setting in which everyone feels valued, ideas are shared openly and relationships are characterized by trust. By setting up proper communication with your new PSAs, you’re creating for them an atmosphere of a true team feeling.
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One of the biggest challenges Team Leaders face is communication. And yet, communication is also one of the most critical aspects of leadership. Without good communication, Team Leaders can fail to gain commitment from their PSAs, fail to achieve their business goals and fail to develop rapport with their PSAs. In short, they can fail as Team Leaders no matter how good their intentions may be.
As a Team Leader you’ll need to figure out what works best to keep your new PSAs coherent,
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