Communication Is the Key to a Successful Team

Let me identify some of the breakdowns I see all of the time and then the fix for how to overcome this to ensure communication in your team is effective.

1. Differences in communication style, coupled with a lack of understanding of or emphasis on learning more about those differences. It’s often not what you say, but how you say it. We all have differences in our approaches: Some people are fast to get a task or project done; some are fast to enthusiastically engage; some are slower, but care about people and being a good listener; and some are very slow in order to ensure the task they are doing is completed to perfection. As a leader, if I don’t understand this, I’ll engage with my team in the manner that fits me most directly. This means many people on my team may not understand what I am saying. Frustration arises, and team members may decide they don’t “like” others on the team or can’t work with them when they communicate differently. Learn more about style differences and how they play out in communication, and become adept at changing your approach depending on your audience.
2. “I’m the boss, and what I say, goes.” Unfortunately, this applies to a lot of teams. Leaders don’t say it exactly like this, of course, but that’s the message that gets heard— especially if there isa lack of listening on the part of leaders. When a team member gets the confidence to share something that needs to be said, it’s best, as a leader, to listen to them. You don’t always have to agree, but if you don’t, let them know why not. Humility is an important trait in a leader. Show it by being open to listening, by communicating what you don’t agree with and what you plan to do, and by spending time engaging with your team members.
3. Communication has to be multi-faceted. The reason there are so many ways to communicate is that one approach doesn’t work for everyone. Can’t get a response via email? Pick up the phone. Someone doesn’t check texts at dinnertime? Send an email for when they can focus. Your team needs to be able to ask questions and engage? Hold a town hall meeting when something is important. Make sure meetings are meaningful — have a clear agenda that is time-bound. Reinforcement matters, too. When a meeting happens, have a follow-up communication that includes a set of next steps. Ask for feedback on how it went. Carry over items from one meeting to another to show continuity. Expand, keep it going, and commit. Have an offsite, a team get-together, a celebration — just do something to pull the team together and talk, learn, and share.
4. Hold periodic check-ins. The number of leaders who communicate an important message and think that it’s done and that everyone should understand it is stunning to me. First, updates, changes, and initiatives should always connect to the goals and measurements that have been outlined. Next, team members should be able to see how the communication impacts them — context is important. Lastly, communication needs to be confirmed as understood and agreed to. Sending a message without context, connection and check-ins is useless and just frustrates both parties.
5. Communication is a two-way street. If you, as leader, are frustrated by the lack of feedback and information from your team, consider how you are asking for it. I caution against using negative words such as “problems,” “issues,” or “concerns.” Some people are loathe to let their leaders know they are having “problems” because it might make them look weak or disconnected. The best thing to do is ask about obstacles. Obstacles are less threatening. They can be overcome, in many cases. As a leader, it’s the things you don’t know that can throw a wrench into your best-laid plans. Solicit input and stay open when you hear it. When your team isn’t talking, that’s when you should worry. If they share, it means they are committed and hoping for things to change for the better.
6. Consider a third-party to facilitate discussions. Clients are always amazed, when I talk to their team members, by what the team is willing to share with me that the leaders haven’t heard about. This holds true for connected, interested, and engaged leaders, too. When a team member respects the leader, they might hesitate to bring forth a complaint or a desire for change. It’s there — it just isn’t spoken. Offsites, interviews, focus groups — these are all ways you can hear more from your team members with someone else there to help generate the input. Be sure the third party isn’t fully aligned with leadership. You don’t want a yes-person receiving input; rather, you want someone who will advocate for the team and share honest insights. If you keep asking, and provide an open line of communication, you will hear what you need to know. I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times.

Make communication a priority. It is often considered a natural thing that everyone knows how to do, but it is the most difficult thing to master and to maintain. Focus on it, and let your team know you care about getting better. Ask for their help. If you aren’t a leader, but instead a team member, own your responsibility for effective communication. It goes both ways.

Beverly Flaxington co-founded The Collaborative, a consulting firm devoted to business building for the financial services industry, in 1995. The firm also founded and manages the Advisors Sales Academy. The firm has won the Wealthbriefing WealthTech award for Best Training Solution for 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Beverly is currently an adjunct professor at Suffolk University teaching Executive MBA students Leadership and Managing Teams. She is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA) and Certified Professional Values Analyst (CPVA).

She has spent over 25 years in the investment industry and has been featured in Selling Power Magazine and quoted in hundreds of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.com, Investment News and Solutions Magazine for the FPA. She speaks frequently at investment industry conferences and is a speaker for the CFA Institute.

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