It never fails.  Every strategy session I have ever facilitated eventually gets to a point where someone says:.

• “Communication is a problem.”
• “People aren’t aligned.”
• “We need more transparency.”
• “Nobody knows what’s going on.”

And almost every time, the issue isn’t a lack of communication.  It’s a lack of clarity around how communication should happen.  Most teams are already flooded with information from a variety of channels: Emails, Chats/Slack, Meetings, Texts, Project tools, Shared drives, Status updates, Dashboards, etc.

So it’s not the amount of information.  There is plenty of information.  The real problem is that the right information isn’t getting to the right people at the right time through the best, most optimal channel.

When teams don’t intentionally design how they communicate, everyone creates their own rules…and that’s when things start to break down.

Why Communication Breaks Down on Teams

So here’s what happens in most organizations:

• One person uses email for urgent issues
• Another ignores email entirely
• Some people treat Teams or Slack like instant messaging
• Others check it twice a day
• Meetings become information dumps because nobody trusts written communication
• Decisions get buried in chat threads
• Critical updates never reach frontline employees
• People over-copy others “just in case.”

Please understand that none of this is usually malicious.  It’s just unmanaged.

Teams spend enormous time discussing strategy, goals, priorities, action items…but very little time discussing:

• How will we communicate with each other?
• Which channels are for what purpose?
• What deserves an immediate response?
• What can wait?
• Where do decisions live?
• How do we reduce noise without losing alignment?

Without agreed-upon protocols, communication becomes reactive and inconsistent.

And inconsistency creates friction.

Communication Preference vs Communication Effectiveness

Another challenge teams face is that individuals often default to their preferred communication style rather than the most effective communication method.

For example:

• Some people prefer email because it gives them time to think
• Others prefer chat because it feels faster
• Some avoid phone calls entirely
• Others process best through live discussion
• Leaders may overuse meetings
• Technical experts may rely too heavily on written detail
• Frontline employees may prefer direct verbal communication

Please understand that none of these preferences are inherently wrong.  But team communication cannot be built solely around individual comfort or habit.  The best communication method depends on:

• urgency
• complexity
• audience
• risk
• collaboration needs
• speed of response
• likelihood of misunderstanding

For example:

• A sensitive conflict probably shouldn’t be handled over chat
• An urgent operational issue shouldn’t sit in someone’s inbox
• A complex strategic discussion may require live dialogue
• A simple status update may not need a meeting at all

High-performing teams recognize this distinction:

Effective communication is situational, not preferential.

The goal is not to communicate in the way that feels easiest to the sender.  The goal is to communicate in the way most likely to create shared understanding.

That’s why communication protocols matter.  They help teams move from “Here’s how I like to communicate.”
to “Here’s how we communicate best as a team.”

Every Team Needs Communication Protocols

High-performing teams don’t just communicate more.  They communicate more intentionally.  They create shared agreements around:

• channels
• expectations
• response times
• escalation paths
• meeting cadence
• information flow

In other words, they create a Team Communication Plan.  Not a complicated corporate document.  Just a practical agreement about:  “How do we communicate effectively as a team?”

This matters for virtual teams, hybrid teams, and fully in-person teams alike because communication challenges are rarely about geography anymore.  The issue is about ambiguity.

Situation	Best Channel
Urgent	SMS/Text/Slack
Urgent with Explanation	Quick Phone Call
Routine/Requires Explanation	Email (VidYard) 2 or more Phone call
Huddle	Zoom/GTM
Check-Ins	Zoom/GTM/F2F
Updates/File Sharing	Google Docs
Document Storage	Google Docs

Start With This Simple Question

When helping teams build communication protocols, I often start with this direct question:

“What communication channel should be used for what type of situation?”

That conversation alone surfaces dozens of hidden assumptions.

For example:

Situation	Best Channel
Urgent operational issue	Phone call / direct message
Quick clarification	Chat
Formal decision documentation	Email or project system
Collaborative discussion	Meeting
Complex sensitive issue	Live conversation
Status updates	Shared dashboard/project tool
FYI information	Email or async post

Seems obvious until you realize everyone on the team has a different answer.

The “Urgent vs Important” Mistake

One of the biggest communication problems teams make is treating every message equally.

But not all communication deserves the same level of interruption.

For example:

• Urgent + important issues may require a phone call or direct message
• Important but non-urgent topics may belong in scheduled meetings
• Low-importance updates shouldn’t trigger immediate notifications at all

Yet many teams use:

• email for emergencies
• chat for major decisions
• meetings for information sharing
• texts for non-urgent items

The result?  Constant interruption without greater clarity.

A communication plan helps teams match the channel to the situation.

What Good Communication Protocols Include

A strong team communication plan usually addresses:

1. Channel Purpose

What is each tool primarily used for?

Examples:

• Email = formal communication/documentation
• Chat = quick coordination
• Meetings = discussion and decisions
• Project tools = task/status tracking

2. Response Expectations

What response times are reasonable?

Examples:

• Chat = within a few hours
• Email = within 24 hours
• Urgent matters = direct call/text

Without clarity, everyone creates their own expectations.

3. Escalation Rules

What happens if something is urgent?

Example:

“If it’s urgent, don’t rely on email.”

Simple. Powerful. Rarely stated explicitly.

4. Meeting Communication Standards

How will meetings work?

Examples:

• agendas required
• decisions documented
• action items clarified
• no multitasking
• who owns follow-up

5. Information Sharing

Where do people go for:

• updates?
• decisions?
• documents?
• priorities?

If nobody knows where the “source of truth” lives, confusion multiplies quickly.

Communication Protocols Reduce Friction

One of the hidden benefits of communication agreements is emotional.  People become less frustrated when expectations are clear.  Instead of:

• “Why didn’t you respond?”
• “I never saw that.”
• “I thought someone else owned it.”
• “I didn’t know it was urgent.”

…the team has shared operating agreements.  Communication becomes less personal and more procedural which lowers tension dramatically.

Don’t Overcomplicate It

Let me be clear:  This doesn’t require a 40-page policy manual.  In fact, the best communication plans are usually simple.  A team can create meaningful protocols in a 30–60 minute discussion.  The key is making the implicit explicit because every team already has communication norms.The question is:

Were they designed intentionally… or did they happen accidentally?

Teams often assume communication problems are people problems.  In my 30+ years working with teams, I have found that they are actually system problems.  When teams establish clear communication protocols:

• alignment improves
• responsiveness improves
• meetings improve
• accountability improves
• frustration decreases

Not because people changed, but because clarity increased.  And clear communications is one of the foundations of high-performing teams.

Related Articles:

How to Improve Virtual Team Communication

The 3 Conversations Every High-Performance Team Masters

Improve Team Communication – As a Speaker and a Listener!