Listening, oral communication, interpersonal communication, and teamwork rank near the top of skills that employers seek in their new hires.3 When you learn to communicate effectively with others, then more opportunities for successful team memberships are available to you.

Communication, the exchange of ideas and information, is the essence of how people interface with one another with regard to sharing ideas and working effectively together. Faulty communication lies at the heart of conflict, which may lead to ineffective communication. Over 90% of conflicts are attributed to faulty communication between sender and receiver.4 However, when individuals and team members think about and choose their communication styles, then opportunities for miscommunication and the resulting conflict are reduced.

How you communicate impacts how others communicate within your team. How your team members communicate impacts the “thinking environment” of your team and its productivity and efficiency. Better understanding of the communication process, how we communicate, potential pitfalls in communication, and improving communication skills will help teams improve their performance and help team members improve their interpersonal communication skills.