Five Ways to Improve Communication with Troop Families
"Nobody told me that we were meeting at a new location!” “We aren’t going to the zoo this year?!?” “I thought we were doing a different Journey?!”
These phrases or similar ones might be some you hear from families often. Receiving questions or comments like these can be completely disheartening and can definitely cause some stress for you as a leader. But it’s important to remember that there is always another side to the story. Perhaps, in the case of the location change example, the leader might have emailed announcing a location change before the troop meeting and the parent hadn’t checked their email in time, which led to some confusion. Read on for a few friendly reminders to make sure that communication can stay on the right track for your troop!
1. Hold a mid-year family meeting to check-in and plan the rest of the year.
Holding an additional family meeting is so helpful when trying to set expectations and make plans with families. You get everyone in one place and talk through what else is planned for the year. There’s time for questions from families, and you can clear up any confusion right off the bat. The goal of this meeting is for everyone to leave with a clear outlook on what is happening for the rest of the year and what your expectations for families are.
2. Set clear expectations.
If you’re asking for parents to take an action on an email or message, include a specific date of when you expect a response. It’s okay to let your families know that you need their permission slips turned in no later than Friday if they want to come on the Science Museum field trip. Parents will understand and appreciate the consistency, and soon it will become routine.
3. Reread your emails before hitting send.
Take a second to reread your email or text before you send it off. This way, you can catch any missing information or instructions that don’t make sense. Then you don’t need to send a follow-up email clarifying your first one! On a similar note, reread any emails you receive to make sure you’re understanding them correctly before drafting a response. You want to make sure you’re actually answering the questions they’re asking.
4. If you need to have an important or uncomfortable conversation, meet in person.
Too many things can be misinterpreted through emails, texts, or even phone calls. If you feel uncomfortable facilitating the conversation, reach out to someone (a troop mentor or service unit manager) in your service unit to mediate.
5. Practice patience.
There are some pretty universally busy times for families, like around the holidays or during the cookie season, but families likely have additional obligations that will take their time. Try to remind yourself that while something is on the forefront of your mind, it might be on the back of someone else’s. Practice patience and giving grace, and don’t sweat it if you don’t get a text back right away. And hopefully, your troop families are showing you grace right back!
Most importantly, thank you for all you do! As a troop leader, you have a lot of responsibilities, only one of which includes communicating with your troop families. It may take some time to find the right strategies for you, but know that River Valleys is always here to help!
