One evening, a friend called asking for some advice about work. She stated that her communication efforts are just a waste of time.
She gave an example and said, “Whenever I send an email to our group asking for actions then I am not receiving any replies!”
I explained to her that what she experienced seems to be a result of the bystander effect. In one of the classes that I have attended, I remember our professor shared this topic about a psychological study.
The study is linked to the diffusion of responsibility or the likelihood of having a decreased inclination to help when they are part of a large group.
To simplify, whenever there are more people in the email and you are requesting help or support, then most likely you will not get the help you need.
I encouraged her to use another means of communication, especially if the reply is expected to be transmitted soon. A team meeting could be useful to discuss the various topics directly.
In addition, a simple to-do list, a kanban/scrumban board can be established to make the collaboration even better. Team members will find it easier to update their tasks and will be autonomous to provide their insights.
After a week, my friend shared that she noticed a big improvement in terms of their group interaction.
