Communication – part one: How to ensure your communication style sets you up for success with your virtual teams
Virtual Success Show
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Episode breakdown
In the first episode of our three-part special, we delve deep into the world of communication and take a look at how your ability to communicate effectively with your virtual team is often the difference between your success and failure. Communication is not only one’s ability to listen; communication is the response you get. This episode is full of insights from both Barbara and Matt on how to communicate with your team effectively for success.
- Understanding the differences between the three communication styles.
- Accepting that one style of communication is not going to fit every single task.
- Communication must happen regardless of how experienced your support assistant is.
- You must have clarity on how you want to be communicated with in order to promote work flow.
Your ability to hear each other and to be able to communicate effectively for success definitely can make or break your success.
In this episode
00:00 - Introduction
Barbara and Matt introduce a three-part series on communication in virtual teams. Episode one focuses on setting up for success, episode two on giving effective feedback, and episode three on handling tough conversations. They highlight that these lessons apply not only to support assistants but also to in-office teams, since strong communication is critical at every level.
02:36 – Communicate effectively
Barbara stresses that while task lists and processes matter, the real make-or-break factor in working with virtual teams—or any staff—is the ability to listen and communicate effectively.
03:14 – “Communication is the response you get”
Matt shares a key insight: “Communication is the response you get,” meaning it’s about speaking in a way others understand, not just what you say. Barbara agrees, noting this applies to all relationships, where clarity is often harder than we think.
04:25 – Setting up for success
Barbara opens by stressing that step one in success is clear communication from the start—not just processes and tasks. She shares an example of a client unsure if she should make a video to explain her brand vision to her support assistant. Barbara’s answer: absolutely, since without that clarity, the support assistant would be guessing. She then asks Matt for his insights on setting up for success in communication.
05:48 – Styles of communication
Matt explains that effective setup depends on choosing the right communication style—visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic. For visual tasks like branding, video is far more effective than just talking. He also highlights the value of using video calls (e.g., on Skype) to read reactions, ensure focus, and build presence. In some cases, providing templates or hands-on exercises helps reinforce learning.
07:49 – Communicate what failure looks like
Barbara emphasizes the importance of communicating what failure looks like when delegating tasks—explaining not just what to do, but why it matters and where things can go wrong. She also encourages creating a safe space for questions, so the support assistant can speak up if unsure. Matt adds that this approach addresses exceptions in processes, preventing frustration and ensuring the team member feels empowered to succeed. Barbara notes that showing nuances visually, especially via video, helps the support assistant understand potential pitfalls and improves outcomes.
11:20 – Slowdown in order to speed up
Matt stresses the importance of slowing down to speed up: taking the time upfront to walk your support assistant or team member through tasks, potential pitfalls, and expectations. This initial investment sets them up for success, makes it easier to delegate, and ensures that future tasks are completed correctly with minimal oversight. Many business owners skip this step due to busyness, but doing it pays off in the long run.
12:22 – Communication must happen regardless of experience
Barbara and Matt emphasize that experience alone doesn’t eliminate the need for clear communication and training. Even experienced team members need guidance on your specific business processes, expectations, and how to handle exceptions. Mistakes are inevitable, but upfront communication and structured setup minimize them. They recommend a sequence: explain the task and its importance, define milestones or deadlines, show where things can go wrong, and clarify why precision matters. Doing this sets support assistants up for success, ensures clarity for the business owner, and creates a replicable process for consistent results.
17:00 – Reporting back
Barbara adds a fourth crucial step: clearly define how you want your support assistant to report back on progress, milestones, roadblocks, and results. Without this, even a well-set-up task can fail because the support assistant doesn’t know how or when to communicate updates. Different managers prefer different reporting styles—some want frequent quick updates, others prefer less frequent but detailed reports—so establishing this upfront is key for ongoing clarity and success.
18:14 – Clarify how you want to be communicated with
Matt and Barbara emphasize the importance of clarifying communication preferences and boundaries with your team. Some managers want daily updates, others only when deadlines approach; without clarity, frustration arises on both sides. support assistants may avoid over-communicating, assuming they’re being helpful, so it’s critical to explicitly set expectations. Matt shares his “Bat Signal” system: urgent matters are communicated via SMS, while other updates go through Slack, with clear definitions of urgency. This ensures tasks keep moving, prevents unnecessary interruptions, and gives the team confidence to ask for help when needed.
21:10 – Wrapping things up
Matt and Barbara wrap up the first episode by emphasizing the importance of setting support assistants up for success: choosing the right form of communication for each task, clearly explaining expectations, and defining how progress and results will be reported. They highlight that effective setup ensures both the support assistant and manager can move forward efficiently and reduces frustration. They tease episode two, which will focus on giving effective feedback when tasks still aren’t going as planned, and encourage listeners to subscribe, share, and stay tuned for the next episode.
