Effective Communication Norms

Last week, I highlighted the significance of effective meetings, revealing that 45% of our workweek is devoted to them, of which 69% are deemed unnecessary. While high-performing organizations hold more meetings, the focus must be on effectiveness.

Refining my recommendations, I've edited the article and LinkedIn post to outline three key components for efficient meetings: (1) Cover the Basics - crafting agendas, limiting attendees, and managing time effectively; (2) Establish Clear Communication Norms within the team; and (3) Consider a shift in the default meeting structure, such as adopting Office Hours. A lot has been said about the basics of meeting etiquette, so below I dedicate this week to providing more details on Team Communication Norms.

Setting Effective Communication Norms

Group norms are the set of formal and informal rules governing interactions and shaping team culture. They can be explicit or implicit, and often affect how teams interact. As this image illustrates, values are the beliefs of a group. Norms are the rules shaping interactions. Collectively, they create the group’s Culture. Team interactions are crucial for collective success, with larger teams exponentially increasing connections (3 people having 3 connections, but 14 people having 91).

The best teams have clear communication norms that address how and when to communicate, reducing friction, fostering better team morale, rapid problem-solving, improved decision-making, and conflict reduction, leading to increased productivity. Based on research and experience, here are steps to build your team's communication norms:

Steps to build your communication norms

#1. Assess Current Practices: Create a survey to identify strengths and areas needing improvement, asking questions that reveal the current status, expectations, and gaps. Here is an example of a survey I created.

#2. Define Communication Norms. Develop norms based on survey insights. Consider the following main buckets: (1) Rules for the basics of good meeting etiquette (see five main tips); (2) Guidelines for key communication channels and response times (e.g. emails to be responded within 48 hours) ; (3) Designated blocks without meetings (e.g. no meetings 9-11am or “no-meeting Fridays”); and (4) Evaluate other norms, such as: Clarifying when to escalate, assigning time for team development; and rules for providing feedback (e.g. the radical candor approach).

Here is an example of communication norms I built based on the survey.

#3. Address Norm Violations Creatively: Connect missing norms to consequences (e.g. a dollar for every minute late to a meeting). Some great examples I have seen involve humor (e.g. quirky trophy for whoever showed up last). Reinforce the idea that norms matter.

#4. Document and Align: Clearly document norms in simple language, seek consensus, and have team members sign off on them as part of their operating approach.

#5. Establish Feedback Mechanism: Introduce recurring feedback by ending meetings with satisfaction scores (similar to level 10 meetings) and monthly assessments of overall norm compliance. Update norms based on feedback. Remember norms are living agreements.

Further Recommendations:

• For Leadership Teams: Track the 1-10 satisfaction score for meetings as an input metric for employee satisfaction goals, providing tangible data for overall satisfaction.

• For individual contributors: Bring this to your manager and offer to run it for your team. They will thank you.

• Try taking an incremental approach. I recognize that applying all steps may seem extensive, but just the survey alone can be a step forward. When doing this exercise, I have noticed that people who complain about how unreasonable their team's communications expectations are, have "unreasonable" expectations themselves (e.g. direct communications to be answered within the hour or emails by end of day)

• Avoid common pitfalls by ensuring a manageable number of norms (fewer than 15), enforcing consequences, leading by example, and actively tracking compliance.

I got new rules, I count 'em,

Jorge Luis Pando

"Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication" - Coach K.

PS: Funny video mocking corporate meeting culture