How to Break Down Silos and Enhance Effective Communication in Your Organization
Silos are organizations where each department operates independently from the other departments. Because of this, it’s difficult to have effective communication between different departments as many people only work with those in their own department and don’t know what other departments do or how they operate on a day-to-day basis. Breaking down silos and enhancing effective communication in your organization is crucial if you want your organization to be able to function effectively and efficiently. In order to learn how to break down silos and enhance effective communication in your organization, keep reading below!
Communicate transparently
Communicating transparently can help connect team members, eliminate corporate silos, and improve overall communication in your organization. While sharing open dialogue can be difficult at first, once you get into a routine it will become second nature. Try using an on-line project management tool that has built-in features for communicating with your entire team—it’s a great way to break down those silos.
Communicate with passion
According to research, companies with open communication are more profitable. Employees need channels for being heard—this means an open dialogue that allows for two-way communication (and not just from boss to employee). Team members need a way of knowing they’re contributing to the bottom line through direct connection (or clear understanding) of their efforts and contributions. Information sharing enables transparency; open communication builds trust. But effective communication is also about listening. Being able use emotional intelligence on any level requires great listening skills.
Ask open questions
Employees who feel like they are listened to are more likely to share useful information, ultimately enhancing effective communication within an organization. To help break down silos and improve your listening skills, ask open-ended questions. These will allow you to get at root of what your employees’ needs, rather than asking closed-ended questions that limit their response options. Listening involves more than just hearing – it requires active engagement.
Build your team’s trust and confidence
It’s incredibly difficult for team members to feel engaged and connected when they don’t know each other. Communication, on line project management tools, and information sharing can help solve these issues by creating a transparent environment where everyone feels valued. It will also be important to establish clear communication protocols with your team so that everyone understands what is expected of them; these guidelines should outline all aspects of an employee’s responsibilities, performance reviews, etc.
Use social media as a platform for dialogue
The use of social media presents a great opportunity for organizations to engage with clients and employees in real time. However, most brands use social platforms as one-way communication vehicles, which is insufficient for facilitating productive dialogue. To enable effective two-way communication through social channels, define clear communication protocols, establish goals for participation on each platform, train employees on proper usage of your organization’s social presence, measure progress toward these goals regularly and take appropriate steps toward increasing employee engagement when your numbers are low.
Address concerns openly.
It can be a lot easier to speak openly when you feel confident that your concerns will be taken seriously. If you’re worried about something, bring it up during a meeting. If no one responds, bring it up again in front of higher-ups and people who are more powerful than you. The sooner you address these issues head-on, the sooner they’ll be addressed for good.
Stay away from jargon.
There’s a great temptation when you’re in a meeting or talking with your colleagues that you want to impress others by using complicated words or jargon. Before speaking, ask yourself if your listeners will be able to understand what you’re saying. If it isn’t something that can be easily understood, then don’t use it.