How to Improve Team Communication: 5 Shifts That Actually Work

Clear, open communication isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s the foundation of high-performing teams. Yet even strong leaders struggle with crossed wires, passive-aggressive comments, or meetings that feel like a waste of time. If your team avoids tough conversations or operates on assumptions, it’s not a people problem—it’s a communication system problem.

Here’s how to improve team communication in real, sustainable ways based on what we know about how adults think, learn, and work best together.

1. Slow Down to Speed Up

Fast-moving teams often default to speed over clarity. But skipping alignment in the name of efficiency only causes confusion later. Make it a practice to pause before launching into action:

• Are we clear on what we’re trying to solve?
• Who is responsible for what?
• Have we said the things that need to be said?

One simple shift: Start meetings by aligning on the purpose of the conversation and how you’ll make decisions.

2. Make the Invisible Visible

Most communication breakdowns happen because people are working with different assumptions—about timelines, expectations, roles, or even how we handle conflict. You can’t fix what hasn’t been named.

Create space for people to:

• Say what they’re assuming
• Share what they need
• Check for understanding

Use phrases like:

• “The assumption I’m making is…”
• “What does done look like to you?”
• “Here’s what I heard—did I get it right?”

3. Train for the Hard Conversations

Conflict isn’t a sign something is wrong. It’s a sign that people care and have different perspectives - which is exactly what you need to innovate and grow. But most of us weren’t taught how to disagree well. Help your team build skill in:

• Giving feedback that’s specific and kind
• Listening without defensiveness
• Staying in dialogue when emotions run high

Normalize the discomfort in hard conversations and build muscle for it over time.

4. Notice the Patterns, Not Just the People

Communication challenges aren’t just about personality clashes. They’re often embedded in the culture, habits, and unspoken norms of how the team operates. Ask yourself:

• Who usually speaks first in meetings?
• Who gets interrupted or overlooked?
• What happens when someone disagrees?

Once you start seeing the patterns, you can shift them.

5. Prioritize Psychological Safety

People won’t speak up if they think it’s unsafe to do so. Period. If you want better communication, you need to create a climate where it’s safe to be honest, take risks, and admit mistakes. That starts with leadership. Model the behavior you want to see:

• Say "I don't know" out loud
• Thank people for raising concerns
• Respond to feedback without punishment or defensiveness

High-performing teams talk about the hard stuff. But that only happens on purpose.

Ready to Practice?

Hard conversations are, well, hard.  But you can practice.

Our Hard Conversations Made Easier on-demand module gives your team powerful tools to:

• Handle feedback without spiraling
• Navigate hard conversations with clarity
• Build a shared language for speaking up and listening well