Most leaders think they’re great communicators.
But if you ask their teams what’s going on in the company, you’ll often hear silence, confusion, or ten different answers.
The biggest communication mistake leaders make?
They assume clarity instead of creating it.
Why Leaders Think They’re Clear
When you live inside the details of strategy every day, it feels obvious.
You talk about the goals in leadership meetings, you mention priorities in passing, and you assume everyone else is on the same page.
But employees aren’t mind-readers.
If your message isn’t repeated, reinforced, and simplified, it’s forgotten.
The Cost of Poor Communication
- Teams waste time working on the wrong priorities
- A-players get frustrated and leave
- Meetings multiply because people are always “clarifying”
- Execution slows down — and growth stalls
How to Fix It
- Over-Communicate
If you think you’ve said it enough, you probably haven’t. Repeat the message until it sticks. - Make It Simple
Leaders love complexity. Teams need clarity. Strip the jargon and speak in plain language. - Use Multiple Channels
All-hands, one-on-ones, Slack, email, dashboards — people process information differently. Reinforce your message everywhere. - Close the Loop
Ask your team to repeat back what they heard. It’s the only way to confirm real understanding.
Communication isn’t about how much you say.
It’s about how much they understand.
When leaders create clarity instead of assuming it, execution accelerates, culture strengthens, and people feel truly aligned.
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