Entrepreneurs who start new businesses don’t always have the experience they need to lead employees effectively. As you enter your new role, you may discover that communication mistakes make it difficult for your business to thrive. Luckily, technology offers fixes for many of these problems. As you encounter the following four mistakes, consider how you can use the latest tech to correct them.
No Communication Because of Extensive Travel
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Image via Flickr by Matthew Grapengieser
Starting a new business often means that you will need to travel to meetings all over the country or world. While you’re away, your staff members and freelance workers may not have the direction they need to reach their goals. As the business’s owner, you face a dilemma: Do you neglect your employees or do you turn down meetings that could lead to new opportunities? This common situation ruins plenty of startup organizations, but it doesn't have to.
Mobile technology makes it easier for today’s entrepreneurs to stay connected to their businesses while they travel. Some helpful apps include Slack and Fuze. Slack lets you send instant messages and files to your team. You can also use the app to organize your messages by category. Fuze is a great option for people checking in with the office via video.
You’ll get the most out of Fuze by using a smartphone with an excellent camera that can take video in all kinds of lighting conditions. The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, for instance, has a dual-pixel smartphone camera that takes sharp pictures even in places without much light. T-Mobile’s Extended Range LTE network makes it even easier for you to stay connected since you don’t have to worry about dropped calls.
Difficulty Assigning and Tracking Tasks
Start-up businesses need streamlined ways to assign and track tasks. Missing a task could mean losing an important client, which could lead to your company’s failure.
Project management apps can make sure that every task gets assigned to the right person. They can also track task progress so you know when you can expect your team to finish a project.
Some of the most effective project management apps include:
- Trello
- Zoho Project
- Podio
Each app has unique features, so you should explore several before you decide which one to use. The most reliable project management apps also cost money, so it’s important to compare prices to make sure the one you choose fits into your budget. There are free apps for assigning and tracking tasks, but they don’t work nearly as well as paid software.
Micromanagement
When you’re a self-starter who has high expectations, you may get too involved in the daily tasks of your employees. Micromanaging your employees can hurt morale and motivation. You may think that you’re helping them do their jobs well, but you’re really undermining them and harming their productivity. You need to provide leadership and feedback without hovering over their every move.
Task management apps can curb your impulse to micromanage employees. Instead of constantly asking questions, you can sit back and observe as workers complete their tasks uninterrupted.
Lack of Anonymous Feedback Tools for Employees
Successful entrepreneurs usually have a lot of emotion, as well as money, invested in their companies. The intense emotion that goes along with running a business can intimidate some employees. Unfortunately, timid workers may feel uncomfortable delivering bad news to you. This situation will put your business on the path to failure. If you don’t know about problems, then you can’t fix them.
Giving your employees the option to submit anonymous feedback will improve the flow of communication so you can stay informed. There are plenty of apps that let employees send you anonymous messages and surveys. Some standout options include:
- 15Five
- TINYpulse
- RoundPegg
Technology offers numerous tools that can solve common start-up communication mistakes. Take a close look at how your organization operates so you can find tech-savvy ways to become more efficient and informed. Once you find the right options, you can make drastic improvements to your company’s performance and chance of success.
