Communication Impact On Team Dynamics

#CEOLife #CEOTalks #Collaboration #DecisionMaking "Diversity in Opinion. Unity in Decision." This is one of the thoughts that I have been working on as a leadership style to drive good Decision Making with Collaboration. In many organizations, managers/leaders by default resort to a hierarchical way of Decision Making. In some, you just get stalled while people try to get to Consensus, which is not easy (and may not be right even). Very few teams and organizations are able to build a culture where people across levels feel free and encouraged to share their views openly but then once a decision is made demonstrate true unity even if their personal view was different. Getting this balance right is critical to get to right decisions for organizations (and not individuals) and create a collaborative culture. A few thoughts that I think are great for managers and leaders to reflect on as they try to get this balance right: - Build trust and mutual respect - you have a team with different expertise and experiences to ensure you look at an issue from multiple perspectives. So build the respect for them versus consider them as threats/challengers - Maintain focus on the Organization and the larger purpose during discussions - stop that voice in your head that tries to make views others express as a challenge to your authority or intellect! That's what they are paid to bring to the table! Stay focused on thought that your job is to get the right decision for the organization - Use the debate/discussion not so much to put your idea on the table as the boss but what the priorities (and why) are for the organization that others may not fully have visibility of. Remember your role is not necessarily to give the idea but to ensure the right idea is tabled, and selected. So remove the burden of trying to come up with the best ideas but focus on thinking through the options on merit - Closing the discussion in the right way is important and you need to ensure that why the final decision is being taken on a certain way is understood by all, and that you as a team acknowledge why done of the other options were dropped explicitly (else they will keep coming back, especially if things don't go as well!!) As a managerial/leadership team, building this culture of an open dialogue/debate but unity in the decision once taken is what perhaps differentiates great teams from others. #campustalks #careerwars #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #management #mentoring #coaching #buildingcareers

Leaders can’t afford to be basic communicators. Communication is what makes them effective. Effective leaders craft communication strategies to persuade stakeholders, build trust, and foster collaboration. These five communication frameworks can help every leader achieve that edge: 1️⃣ NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Understand how language influences behavior. Use it to build rapport, inspire action, and guide your team’s mindset. Pro Tip: Mirror your team’s communication style to foster trust. 2️⃣ Process Communication Model (PCM) Decode personalities in the room. PCM helps you adjust your style to motivate different people effectively. Example: Is your team member fact-driven or people-focused? Tailor your approach accordingly. 3️⃣ Non-Violent Communication (NVC) Master the art of expressing needs without conflict. Framework: Observation → Feeling → Need → Request. It’s a game-changer for resolving tensions while strengthening relationships. 4️⃣ P.I.E Framework (Performance, Image, Exposure) Success isn’t just about Performance. Leaders need to build their Image and ensure they have Exposure to the right stakeholders. Ask yourself: Are you visible where it matters most? 5️⃣ Storytelling as a Strategy Stories don’t just inform—they inspire. Frameworks like the Hero’s Journey or Problem-Solution-Benefit create compelling narratives that connect emotionally with your team or audience. ✨ Why it Matters: Great leaders aren’t just communicators – they’re connectors. These tools help you inspire teams, build trust, and drive action. 🧠 Which of these frameworks would you love to dive deeper into? Drop your thoughts below ⬇ and share with your network to spread these insights! 📌 Follow Oliver Aust for more actionable leadership tips.

Trust is not something you have, but something you do. 6 proven ways to build unshakeable trust with your team, TODAY: (Sample situations and scripts are included) 1. Say what you do. Minimize surprises. ➜Why: Consistency in communication ensures everyone is on the same page, reducing uncertainties and building reliability. ➜Situation: After a meeting, promptly send out a summary of what was agreed upon, including the next steps, owners, and deadlines. ➜Script: "Thank you for the productive meeting. As discussed, here are our next steps with respective owners and deadlines. Please review and let me know if any clarifications are needed." 2. Do what you say. Deliver on commitments. ➜Why: Keeping your word demonstrates dependability and earns you respect and trust. ➜Situation: Regularly update stakeholders on the project's progress. Send out a report showing the project is on track, and proactively communicate any potential risks. ➜Script: "Here's the latest project update. We're on track with our milestones. I've also identified some potential risks and our mitigation strategies." 3. Extend the bridge of trust. Assume good intent. ➜Why: Trust grows in a culture of understanding and empathy. Giving others the benefit of the doubt fosters a supportive and trusting environment. ➜Situation: If a team member misses an important meeting, approach them with concern and understanding instead of jumping to conclusions. ➜Script: "I noticed you weren’t at today’s meeting, [Name]. I hope everything is okay. We discussed [key topics]. Let me know if you need a recap or if there's anything you want to discuss or add." 4. Be transparent in communication, decision-making, and admitting mistakes. ➜Why: Honesty in sharing information and rationale behind decisions strengthens trust. ➜Situation: Be clear about the reasoning behind key decisions, especially in high-stakes situations. ➜Script: "I want everyone to understand why we made this decision. Here are the factors we considered and how they align with our objectives..." 5. Champion inclusivity. Engage and value all voices. ➜Why: Inclusivity ensures a sense of belonging and respect, which is foundational for trust. ➜Situation: Encourage diverse viewpoints in team discussions, ensuring everyone feels their input is valued and heard. ➜Script: Example Script: "I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this, [Name]. Your perspective is important to our team." 6. Be generous. Care for others. ➜Why: Offering support and resources to others without expecting anything in return cultivates a culture of mutual trust and respect. ➜Situation: Proactively offer assistance or share insights to help your colleagues. ➜Script: "I see you’re working on [project/task]. I have some resources from a similar project I worked on that might be helpful for you." PS: Trust Is Hard-Earned, Easily Lost, Difficult To Reestablish...Yet Absolutely Foundational. Image Credit: BetterUp . com

The lesson I take from so many dispersed teams I’ve worked with over the years is that great collaboration is not about shrinking the distance. It is about deepening the connection. Time zones, language barriers, and cultural nuances make working together across borders uniquely challenging. I see these dynamics regularly: smart, dedicated people who care deeply about their work but struggle to truly see and understand one another. One of the tools I often use in my work with global teams is the Harvard Business School case titled Greg James at Sun Microsystems. It tells the story of a manager leading a 45-person team spread across the U.S., France, India, and the UAE. When a major client system failed, the issue turned out not to be technical but human. Each location saw the problem differently. Misunderstandings built up across time zones. Tensions grew between teams that rarely met in person. What looked like a system failure was really a connection failure. What I find powerful about this story, and what I see mirrored in so many organizations today, is that the path forward is about rethinking how we create connection, trust, and fairness across distance. It is not where many leaders go naturally: new tools or tighter control. Here are three useful practices for dispersed teams to adopt. (1) Create shared context, not just shared goals. Misalignment often comes from not understanding how others work, not what they’re working on. Try brief “work tours,” where teams explain their daily realities and constraints. Context builds empathy, and empathy builds speed. (2) Build trust through reflection, not just reliability. Trust deepens when people feel seen and understood. After cross-site collaborations, ask: “What surprised you about how others see us?” That simple reflection can transform relationships. (3) Design fairness into the system. Uneven meeting times, visibility, or opportunities quickly erode respect. Rotate schedules, celebrate behind-the-scenes work, and make sure recognition travels across time zones. Fairness is a leadership design choice, not a nice-to-have. Distance will always be part of global work, but disconnection doesn’t have to be. When leaders intentionally design for shared understanding, reflected trust, and structural fairness, I've found, distributed teams flourish. #collaboration #global #learning #leadership #connection Case here: https://lnkd.in/eZfhxnGW

I’ve trained in rooms where people speak English, but think in Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil Same company, same goals, but completely different communication styles. We love patting ourselves on the back for being diverse. But when a South Indian team feels a North Indian manager is "too aggressive," or a Gen Z employee thinks their Gen X boss is "dismissive", we call it a "communication gap." When really it's India's invisible boardroom barrier. Because while communicating, you’re navigating: 🔹 Cultural nuances 🔹 Generational gaps 🔹 Language preferences 🔹 Urban vs regional perspectives And if you're not adapting, you’re alienating. Here's my 3A’s of Cross-cultural communication framework: 1. Awareness: Recognize that your communication style is shaped by region, generation, and upbringing. It's not universal. 2. Adaptation: Match your message to your audience. One style doesn't fit all rooms. 3. Ask: When in doubt, clarify: What does yes mean here? How do you prefer feedback? What's the protocol for disagreement? India's diversity is incredible. But if we are not actively learning to communicate across cultures, not just languages, we're wasting it. P.S. What's your biggest cross-cultural communication struggle? #CrossCulturalCommunication #AwarenessAdaptationAsk #3AsFramework #Awareness #Adaptation #Ask #CommunicationGaps

I'll never forget the moment a 22-year-old intern shattered one of our deepest assumptions. 👩🏫 During a strategy meeting about customer preferences, she asked quietly, "Why are we so sure people prioritize convenience over connection?" The room froze. 🔇 Our 50-year-old CEO leaned forward, and suddenly, the most vibrant dialogue of the quarter erupted between our newest hire and most seasoned leader. In that moment, I realized how often we make the mistake of equating age with value. ❌ New research from INSEAD's Professor So Yeon Chun reveals how our beliefs about age and intelligence shape organizational success. The most effective teams aren't those with the youngest "innovators" and oldest "wise ones," but those where people of all generations ask questions that challenge the status quo. It turns out that breakthrough ideas emerge when fresh "Why?" questions collide with experienced "What if?" perspectives. ✅ We often assume innovation flows from youth and wisdom from age. But the truth is more interesting: The most valuable insights come from the tension between different ways of thinking, not from any single generation's perspective. 💯 So, ask yourself: 🤔 1️⃣ What assumptions about age might be limiting your team? 2️⃣ When was the last time someone from a different generation fundamentally changed how you think? 3️⃣ How might you create more space for cross-generational dialogue in your work? The most powerful questions aren't about who's asking them - but about what new possibilities they help us see. #lifecoaching #leadership #success

I remember an "appraisal" conversation with my CEO years ago. I hinted that I might want to leave the corporate world to do something different. He looked surprised and asked, “Don’t you want to be like me someday?” I replied, “No.” This story reminds me of something I see around today: a breakdown in communication between generations at work. Leaders, especially those from older generations, often struggle to connect with Gen Z or younger employees. It is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity to rethink how we engage. In fact, at GlobalGyan Leadership Academy, we’ve built a toolkit for managing a multi-generational workforce. But if I were to share just one piece of advice for leaders and managers: Please stop saying, “When I was your age…” Or its equally tone-deaf cousin, “Be like me.” The world today is vastly different from what it was 20, even 10 years ago. The context in which Gen Z has grown up is not the same world we navigated. Expecting their behaviour to mirror ours is unfair and, frankly, ineffective. This doesn’t mean we cannot pass on our values or share experiences. But instead of starting with, “When I was your age,” try: • Asking questions about their experiences. • Sharing your journey humbly, as stories, not sermons. • Listening, really listening, to understand their aspirations and challenges. Engaging across generations isn’t just about “managing” people. It's about learning from each other. Oh, and that conversation with my boss? You all know how it turned out 😀.

I learned this one the hard way: leadership starts with clear communication. I remember a project where the problem started with me. I wasn’t clear enough upfront, and it led to confusion, misaligned expectations, and frustration. It didn’t stop there—it spiraled into extra emails, more meetings, and way too much time trying to sort it all out. Worst of all, it damaged relationships within the team. That experience was a wake-up call. I realized my communication needed structure, so I started using the “Why, What, How” framework to turn things around: 1️⃣ Why: Explain the purpose behind the project and why it matters. 2️⃣ What: Be clear about expectations and deliverables. 3️⃣ How: Give actionable steps and clarify roles. The shift was immediate. With clear communication, the team felt aligned, work flowed smoothly, and we rebuilt trust. Leadership communication isn’t just about saying the right things—it’s about giving your team the clarity they need to move forward confidently. How do you keep your communication clear and effective as a leader? #Leadership #Communication #TeamAlignment #IntentionalLeadership

Let’s stop romanticizing input. Start professionalizing decisions. Because a team that hears everyone but can’t converge isn’t inclusive but indecisive. I see it all the time: 1. Teams bring bold, diverse perspectives to the table. 2. They brainstorm, debate, expand thinking. 3. But when it's time to choose - silence, hesitation, power grabs, or rushed consensus. The biggest problem I see in companies is that they treat decision-making as a moment, not a discipline. That’s where I focus in my work with leadership teams: Not just on hearing more voices, but on building the muscle of inclusive decision-making as a repeatable process that turns diversity into direction. Here’s how we do it: 1️⃣ Make decision rights explicit.  Who decides? Who contributes? Who needs to know? 2️⃣ Separate idea generation from commitment. Diverge first. Converge second. 3️⃣ Create a decision rhythm. Clear steps, check-ins, and closure points. 4️⃣ Build psychological safety to challenge, not just speak. No point in diverse ideas if no one can question the status quo. Because diverse ideas only create value when a team knows how to decide together. P.S.: Does your team know how to end a conversation with a decision and not just more ideas? —————————— 👋 Hi, I’m Susanna. I help organizations build high-performing, inclusive cultures by turning psychological safety and diversity into business strategy. Let’s work on how your teams & leaders think, feel, and decide - together.

Leadership isn’t about making big decisions. It’s about mastering small conversations. Effective leadership hinges on communication. Master the power of language to influence team dynamics. By choosing words carefully, leaders can foster collaboration and trust. Let me break it down. 1. Use Positive Language Shift the tone of conversations. Examples: • Instead of "you’re wrong," say "I see your point." • Replace "this is unacceptable" with "let’s figure out how to prevent it next time." • When giving feedback, focus on support and understanding. Tips: • Avoid confrontational phrases. • Emphasize growth and learning. • Create a safe environment for sharing ideas. 2. Handle Criticism Constructively Acknowledge feedback with gratitude. Examples: • "Thank you for your input." • "I appreciate your perspective." • "Let’s work on this together." Tips: • Stay open and positive. • Avoid defensiveness. • Reinforce a culture of continuous learning. 3. Reframe Setbacks as Learning Opportunities Encourage resilience and innovation. Examples: • "What can we learn from this?" • "How can we improve next time?" • "Mistakes are part of growth." Tips: • Focus on solutions, not blame. • Promote adaptive responses to challenges. • Inspire a mindset of continuous improvement. 4. Embrace Mindful Communication Recognize the weight of your words. Examples: • Use inclusive language. • Listen actively. • Validate team members’ feelings. Tips: • Be mindful of your tone. • Encourage open dialogue. • Foster a positive organizational culture. In a fast-changing business world, effective communication is a strategic advantage. Leaders who master the art of phrasing can inspire loyalty, enhance engagement, and drive better performance. ps: what other tweaks are there to be a better leader? Comment below