Team Communication

What in the world is "Team Communication?" Team communication is defined as a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior or a technique for expressing ideas effectively. Buried within this definition are boundaries, relationships, common goals, consequences, and quarrels which must be addressed to benefit the interests of the team, not an individual. What is the effect of positive and negative team communication? What is effective and ineffective team communication? These are questions this paper will answer, and to suggest helpful tools teams can use to improve communication skills.

The concept of teamwork has been around almost as long as the oldest civilizations. Teams are becoming the foundation of many businesses and corporations. The practical and valuable impacts teams make to the workplace and the overall organization are vital for increased productivity and production gains. Communication is an essential characteristic of excelling teams.

English: Transactional Model of Communication

Communication

Communication

"In effective teams, there is rich sharing of information and ideas that improves communication within the team and between the team and organization" (DeJanasz, Dowd, & Schneider, 2001, 313). The effects of team communication produce a positive atmosphere where teams can increase moral, eliminate confusion, and increase the overall success and production. The increase in production and success can lead to future implied effectiveness and accomplishment. For example, a case study was conducted where 11 Dutch hardware product companies that develop computers to copiers surveyed 243 of their own employees. The objective of the case study was to determine the effects of communication on employee's creative performance. The frequency of communication among team members proved to be the most significant factor in creativity (Yu, 2005). Undoubtedly, the success and failure of any team will rely on its ability to communicate clearly and effectively. Furthermore, many large corporations...