Team Communication

Team Communication

Communication as defined by answers.com is "the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior." Teamwork is "cooperative effort by the members of a group or team to achieve a common goal." Communication is the foundation in the success of a team.

From the time of birth every individual has been taught some form of communication whether it be verbally, sign language or written. Individuals use communication to acquire what they need for survival and for personal success. This same concept needs to be applied when working in a team.

Teams are made of individuals with unique skill coming together for a greater good. Most teams are made up of three to four individuals utilizing their skills to succeed in a project. Most individuals have worked in a team sometime in their lives. Many individuals have worked in teams as children in the classroom and out on the playground playing sports.

Collaboration of communication and teamwork is necessary for the team to reach its goals. Each member of the team needs to actively communicate their ideas, questions and thoughts. All communication should be honest, effective, and useful. As children playing a kickball game, everyone one needs to cheer one another on, clearly state their objectives and work through disagreements.

A key to clearly stating objectives is utilizing the many forms of communication avaliable. Verbal communication requires individuals voicing words to state their ideas or thoughts. Body language is an unspoken form of communication. Individuals can use body gestures to get their point across to other individuals on the team. Electronic media has streamlined communication making it more efficient and allows individuals to re-read if necessary the thoughts of one another. Utilizing one or all forms of communication can benefit everyone on the team. Each method of communication has its individual benefits.

Humankind has used verbal communication for centuries. Individuals use a string of words to make a point to one another. This form of communication can identify the speaker's intentions. If a person is angry, their tone will define their mood. If a person is happy, you will hear it in their voice. This form of communication should always be a positive reflection for all team members. The speaker should think about what they are going to say and how they will present it.

When using verbal communication the speaker needs to make sure what the meant to say is being perceived appropriately. Individuals can miscommunicate by not making sure what they say is clear and precise. Individuals need to identify that slang words or slang quotes may not always be understood by all members of the team. Make sure communication is appropriate for all members to understand the intentions of the conversation. Individuals may use body language with verbal communication giving a different approach of communication.

Body language can say a lot without a verbal word being said. As most individuals have heard most of their lives, 'It's not what he said, it's the way he said it." Individuals working together can receive this form of communication intentional or not intentional. An individuals facial expression can a say lot to others on the team. A raised eyebrow may indicate an individual does not understand or it can it mean they are displeased with what was said. A smile lets individuals know everything is okay. A frown can be perceived as deceit. Body language can change the tone of a conversation; it is all in the interpretation of the receiver.

The fastest growing form of communication utilized today is through electronic media. Electronic media can be email, messenger, video conferencing, text messaging, or blogs to name a few. This form of communication is fast and effective. Individuals can make their point to anyone around the world in seconds and receive a response just as fast. This form of communication allow team members to be in different rooms, locations or time zones. Individuals can utilize these tools as if they were sitting in the same room having a physical face-to-face conversation.

With the advancement of technology individuals can also reflect their emotional state with a click of a mouse. Individuals have designed a new technique of speaking with a few key strokes that demonstrate if a person is angry, embarrassed, upset and crying, or happy. With new features, individuals can now add images to these emotions called "emoticons." Today's technology can combine verbal communications with emotions to individuals miles apart. This technology will continue to grow bringing teams around the world together.

If communication is used effectively the chances of a team succeeding is greater. Any form of communication can be utilized to get a message across, to