The Power of Communication: Lessons from Building Teams

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned throughout my career is deceptively simple: communication is everything. More specifically, creating the right channels and fostering transparency is very crucial.

The Transparency Principle

I've learnt when you put information out there, something interesting happens. The right people respond to it—and even those who don't respond directly begin thinking about it. Their decision-making shifts. Their perspective broadens. This is the compound effect of transparent communication. You might not see the effect right from the start but after a while you will realize the difference.

The Introvert's Dilemma

As an introvert who has dealt with social anxiety at times, I've learned this lesson the hard way. I naturally prefer to speak less, and I've noticed many technical professionals share this tendency. We often assume that what seems obvious to us is obvious to everyone—so we stay quiet.

This assumption is almost always wrong.

In a healthy, active work environment, the goal should be to create the right channels, use the appropriate tools, and communicate as much as necessary to keep everyone aligned. This practice is easy to forget and difficult to master, but once you get use to it, the value becomes clear.

Choosing Your Channels

Different types of communication require different channels:

• Workshops for collaborative problem-solving and skill-building
• Team meetings for alignment and collective decision-making
• One-on-ones for personal feedback and career development
• Async tools (like Slack) for everyday communication where the others don't make sense
• Daily/Bi-Daily standups useful for aligning on progress

Startup Communication vs. Corporate Communication

In the traditional environments I've worked at, often operate on a "need-to-know" basis, where managers gate-keep information. This approach takes you up to some point but then it becomes impossible to handle for both parties, it is difficult for the manager and difficult for the employees.

In startups, you're working with a small team where everyone shares a similar energy level and excitement about succeeding together. Transparency isn't just nice to have-it's essential and helps keep that energy up. When founders and team members alike can see the direction clearly, everyone makes better decisions.

Both parties benefit from this open exchange of information.

Keep the Information Flowing

It's crucial to maintain open communication channels and keep everyone in the loop. This means giving everyone the space to speak and contribute, even if you're not obligated to act on every piece of feedback immediately.

The key insight here is that you don't necessarily need to do something about every comment or concern raised. Simply having the information out there is valuable. People will absorb it, process it at their own pace, and it will inform their thinking and actions over time. This passive osmosis of information is just as important as active discussion.

Conclusion

Communication isn't just about talking—it's about creating an environment where information flows freely, where introverts and extroverts alike feel empowered to share, and where transparency becomes the default rather than the exception.

The investment you make in building these communication practices will pay dividends in team alignment, better decision-making, and a culture where everyone feels informed and valued. Start small: pick one channel to improve, commit to more transparency in one area, or simply share that piece of information you've been holding back.

Remember, the goal isn't perfection—it's progress. Each conversation, each shared update, each open discussion builds a foundation for a stronger, more connected team.