Creating Communication Plans For Projects

The lack of clarity in organizational communication is one of the leading causes of employee frustration and turnover. In particular, unclear instructions – like the infamous “pls fix” became memes. And yet, the equally unhelpful “Do better, bosses” seems to be the most typical response. But how many have been taught the foundations of clear managerial communication? Let’s do better, shall we – and by that, I mean – let’s clarify how managers can provide clear instructions. But without micromanaging and killing creativity. In this article, I develop a clarity + creativity communication formula by modifying the 5Ws (What, Why, Who, Where, When) and 1H (How) framework used in project management. This can turn "pls fix" into: What (is the task): Streamline the presentation. Why: We want the client to know we do not waste time. How: Focus on the core message – we can deliver results with an efficient and proven process. Provide findings from the latest quarterly report and two examples.  Who: You are responsible. When: It needs to be ready by Tuesday. And then, to support innovative thinking, we can add the C (Creativity) statement like "If you come up with any suggestions for making this even more memorable/impressive/convincing, let me know." The same approach works equally well for the shop or store floor or the boardroom. Read on for more research, examples, and specific cases! None of us are born master communicators. But a structured framework supporting both clarity and autonomy can help. #communication #management #creativity #innovation #clarity #performance #motivation

I learned this one the hard way: leadership starts with clear communication. I remember a project where the problem started with me. I wasn’t clear enough upfront, and it led to confusion, misaligned expectations, and frustration. It didn’t stop there—it spiraled into extra emails, more meetings, and way too much time trying to sort it all out. Worst of all, it damaged relationships within the team. That experience was a wake-up call. I realized my communication needed structure, so I started using the “Why, What, How” framework to turn things around: 1️⃣ Why: Explain the purpose behind the project and why it matters. 2️⃣ What: Be clear about expectations and deliverables. 3️⃣ How: Give actionable steps and clarify roles. The shift was immediate. With clear communication, the team felt aligned, work flowed smoothly, and we rebuilt trust. Leadership communication isn’t just about saying the right things—it’s about giving your team the clarity they need to move forward confidently. How do you keep your communication clear and effective as a leader? #Leadership #Communication #TeamAlignment #IntentionalLeadership

10 Steps For Stakeholder Communication As the Project Manager for an app development project, effective stakeholder communication was crucial. The stakeholders were diverse - from our internal tech team and sales department to external parties such as investors and the end-users. Our first step was to identify all the stakeholders and understand their expectations. For example, our tech team was focused on robust functionality, sales were interested in market competitiveness, and our investors were looking at return on investment. Using these insights, we developed a communication plan. For instance, our tech team preferred detailed email updates, while our investors appreciated concise presentations during monthly meetings. We customized our language and delivery to cater to each party. A significant roadblock occurred midway through the project, a technical glitch that delayed our timeline. Being transparent, we communicated this to all stakeholders promptly, explaining the situation, its implications, and our recovery plan. Although it led to some difficult discussions, especially with our investors, we handled them with professionalism and tact, reinforcing their trust in our capabilities. Throughout the project, we asked for feedback - such as the tech team's advice on resolving the glitch or the investors' views on our recovery strategy. This fostered a sense of collaboration and kept everyone engaged. When we finally resolved the glitch and got back on track, we celebrated this success and shared it with all stakeholders, bolstering morale and reinforcing their faith in the project. This approach transformed stakeholder communication from a challenge into an opportunity, contributing to our project's eventual success. ❗How Can I Help You? I'm Justin, a PhD and PMP holder with 21 years of project management experience, mentoring Fortune 500 teams. I've trained 4,000+ professionals, and now I focus on helping project managers in swiftly advancing their skills to enhance their career trajectories, surpass competitors, and evolve their project skills into becoming highly desirable leaders. 👇 Join my upcoming cohort for using ChatGPT for Project Management! lnkd.in/dmA-dNjS #business #management #projectmanagement #innovation #operationsmanagement

Are you part of a real team? Or do you sometimes feel isolated, unclear, and disconnected, even though you're surrounded by colleagues? Early in my career, I naively believed that assembling a group of high performers automatically equated to a high-performing team. But reality proved otherwise. Instead of synergy, I witnessed friction. The team wasn’t meshing; it was like gears grinding without proper lubrication. Each high performer, while brilliant on their own, seemed to have their own agenda, often pulling in different directions. The energy and time spent on internal friction was enormous, and the anticipated results? Well, they remained just that – anticipated. It was a stark realization that a team's effectiveness isn't just about individual brilliance—it's about harmony, alignment, and collaboration. With our workplace becoming increasingly diverse, dispersed, digital, and dynamic this is no easy feat. So, in my quest to understand the nuances of high performing teams, I reached out to my friend Daria Rudnik. Daria is a Team Architect - specializing in engineering remote teams for sustainable growth. She shared 5 key insights that can make all the difference: 1. Define a Shared Goal ↳Why? A team truly forms when united by a shared goal that can only be achieved together, not just by adding up individual efforts, ↳How? Involve the team in setting a clear, measurable goal at the project's start. Regularly revisit and communicate this goal to keep everyone aligned and motivated. 2. Cultivate Personal Connections ↳Why? Personal connections hold a team together, boosting trust, support, and understanding for a more productive environment. ↳How? Begin meetings with a social check-in. Let team members share updates or feelings, enhancing connection and understanding. 3. Clear Communication ↳Why? It’s the backbone of a successful team, preventing misunderstandings and building trust. ↳How? Hold regular team meetings and check-ins. Ensure a safe environment for expressing thoughts and concerns. 4. Defined Roles and Responsibilities ↳Why? Clear roles prevent overlap and ensure task coverage, giving a sense of ownership and accountability. ↳How? Outline everyone’s roles at the project's start, ensuring understanding of individual contributions to overall goals. 5. Provide Regular Feedback and Recognition ↳Why? Feedback clarifies strengths and areas for improvement. Recognition boosts morale and motivation. ↳How? Hold regular, constructive feedback sessions. Publicly recognize and reward achievements. Remember, 'team' isn't just a noun—it's a verb. It requires ongoing effort and commitment to work at it, refine it, and nurture it. 👉 Want to supercharge your team's performance? Comment “TEAM” below to grab your FREE e-book and learn how to 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦'𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 in just 90 days, courtesy of Daria.

Anyone else suffer from meeting overload? It’s a big deal. Simply put too many meetings means less time available for actual work, plus constantly attending meetings can be mentally draining, and often they simply are not required to accomplish the agenda items. At the same time sometimes it’s unavoidable. No matter where you are in your career, here are a few ways that I tackle this topic so that I can be my best and hold myself accountable to how my time is spent. I take 15 minutes every Friday to look at the week ahead and what is on my calendar. I follow these tips to ensure what is on the calendar should be and that I’m prepared. It ensures that I have a relevant and focused communications approach, and enables me to focus on optimizing productivity, outcomes and impact. 1. Review the meeting agenda. If there’s no agenda I send an email asking for one so you know exactly what you need to prepare for, and can ensure your time is correctly prioritized. You may discover you’re actually not the correct person to even attend. If it’s your meeting, set an agenda because accountability goes both ways. 2. Define desired outcomes. What do you want/need from the meeting to enable you to move forward? Be clear about it with participants so you can work collaboratively towards the goal in the time allotted. 3. Confirm you need the meeting. Meetings should be used for difficult or complex discussions, relationship building, and other topics that can get lost in text-based exchanges. A lot of times though we schedule meetings that we don’t actually require a meeting to accomplish the task at hand. Give ourselves and others back time and get the work done without that meeting. 4. Shorten the meeting duration. Can you cut 15 minutes off your meeting? How about 5? I cut 15 minutes off some of my recurring meetings a month ago. That’s 3 hours back in a week I now have to redirect to high impact work. While you’re at it, do you even need all those recurring meetings? It’s never too early for a calendar spring cleaning. 5. Use meetings for discussion topics, not FYIs. I save a lot of time here. We don’t need to speak to go through FYIs (!) 6. Send a pre-read. The best meetings are when we all prepare for a meaningful conversation. If the topic is a meaty one, send a pre-read so participants arrive with a common foundation on the topic and you can all jump straight into the discussion and objectives at hand. 7. Decline a meeting. There’s nothing wrong with declining. Perhaps you’re not the right person to attend, or there is already another team member participating, or you don’t have bandwidth to prepare. Whatever the reason, saying no is ok. What actions do you take to ensure the meetings on your calendar are where you should spend your time? It’s a big topic that we can all benefit from, please share your tips in the comments ⤵️ #careertips #productivity #futureofwork

Surprise missed deadlines are a major headache.  They disrupt workflows, create unnecessary stress, and leave everyone scrambling to catch up. But what if there was a better way? When you miss a deadline, it hurts your reputation and credibility. You can avoid this through 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. By letting your manager know about potential roadblocks as soon as you know about them, you become a problem-solver, not a problem creator. This not only reduces stress for everyone involved, but also builds trust and strengthens your professional presence. As the former Head of Editorial at Prezi, here are three strategies my team members used that I appreciated so much: ✅ Flag potential delays early. It benefited the whole team when I got alerted about a roadblock ahead of time. This gave everyone time to adjust, discuss solutions, and minimize the negative impact. ✅ Be specific and be clear. Be upfront about the situation and the impact it might have on the deadline.  ✅ Offer solutions and not just excuses. Coming to your manager with a plan demonstrates responsibility and initiative.  This could involve suggesting an extension, proposing a revised deliverable, or outlining how you plan to catch up. You can save this script for future use: "𝘏𝘪 [𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦], 𝘐'𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘮 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨/foresee 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘈.  𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘟, 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 [𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦]. 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘠.  𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴." Proactive communication is a win-win. Managers appreciate the heads-up and can adjust accordingly. You avoid the last-minute scramble and maintain trust with your team. Remember that all these tips don’t just apply to big projects! The same principles apply to smaller tasks as well. Building this communication habit will put you ahead of the game — and impact your presence in terms of how your colleagues see you. 💬 How do you communicate missed deadlines in advance? Let’s exchange tactics in the comments! #ExecutivePresence #Communication #ProfessionalPresence #WorkplaceTips

Try this strategy to get better feedback from your team Picture this: You just spent 15 minutes of a group meeting reviewing your plans for an upcoming project. You painstakingly walked through each detail, key opportunities, potential roadblocks, and next steps. You brought this group together to help provide feedback. But now you’re now staring at a room (or a Zoom screen) of completely silent colleagues. “What feedback do you have?” you ask. A few shrugs. A half-hearted “Looks good.” And…nothing. I’ve been there. Want to get better feedback on your ideas from your team? Try this simple shift: Instead of asking, “Any feedback?”, reframe it to: “What’s missing?” Why this works: ✅ It signals your idea isn’t final and there’s room for their input. ✅ It makes team members feel more comfortable pointing out gaps or concerns. ✅ It invites collaboration rather than approval. ✅ increases buy-in. Because when people contribute, they commit to the idea. This strategy is especially valuable when developing new strategies, launching a program, or preparing for a big presentation. The best ideas are built together. When will you use the “What’s missing” strategy this week? Try it, and message me to let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear!

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

Want to ruin a project fast? Put a PM and Superintendent at odds. But when they’re aligned? You get magic ✨ • Seamless execution • Less chaos and finger-pointing • And a team that clicks Here are 10 powerful lessons and realizations that have helped me build that kind of partnership: 1️⃣ The Superintendent and PM relationship is CRITICAL. Nothing destroys a project faster than when your PM and Supt aren’t on the same page. It’s like trying to raise kids when Mom and Dad aren’t getting along—it’s impossible. This relationship MUST work for the project to succeed. 2️⃣ Intentional Check-ins Work Wonders Go for a walk. Grab lunch. Sit down for a real conversation. Building a personal connection leads to a strong professional relationship. 3️⃣ Give Without Expecting Anything in Return Give respect. Give trust. Give time. True collaboration starts when both people stop keeping score. And if you want to go deeper, try this: - Understand each other's DISC profile. - Match the moment, not the mirror. - Ask how you can support each other. 4️⃣ Plan together. Visually. Get out of your heads and into the same plan. Whether it’s a whiteboard or a digital platform, build the plan side-by-side—and stick to it together. Outbuild is a no-brainer for this. One place for everything: schedule, lookahead, weekly work plan, constraints, and analytics 🙏 5️⃣ Get crystal clear on roles. What are you owning? What are they owning? Then back each other up when it counts. 6️⃣ One Team, One Voice Make key decisions together. Back each other in front of the team. Disagree in private. Align in public. 7️⃣ Track Every Change and Decision Who said what, when, and what changed? Clarity = accountability. 8️⃣ Support Each Other’s World. Superintendents: Make sure PMs have what they need to move the paper (contracts, change orders, and pay apps). PMs: Make sure Supers have what they need to move the dirt (material, RFIs, and submittals). 9️⃣ Stay Three Steps Ahead—together. Anticipate problems before they happen and take proactive steps to prevent them. Superintendent focus (1-3 weeks out): • Equipment • Materials • Manpower • Prerequisite work • Inspections • Space • Layout Project Manager focus (3-6 weeks out): • Submittals • Fabrication • RFIs • Change Order Approvals • Approvals • Coordination The best duos build lookaheads together—and use them to stay out of each other’s blind spots. 🔟 Continuously Improve the Relationship Drop the ego. Ask each other: • “What’s one thing I could do better?” • “What do you need more of from me?” Remember: The strength of the relationship between the PM and Superintendent directly influences the success of a project.

I've been managing PR for the fastest-growing startups for over 12 years. 8 of the most valuable hacks we use for our clients (that you can use today): 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 • Regularly brainstorm potential brand vulnerabilities • Develop responsive strategies Mapping these out lets you act fast when challenges arise. Anticipation is your first line of defense. With it, you're not reactive. You're two steps ahead. 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 In today's digital world, perception shifts rapidly. Harness sentiment analysis tools to constantly monitor your brand's digital perception. The earlier you spot a shift, the quicker you can intervene. Real-time insights can save reputations. 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 A brand's voice can be its downfall or saving grace during crises. Train your founders, train your key staff. Implement media training focused on crisis communication. Prepared spokespeople control narratives — even in chaos. 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 Society's sensitivities can change fast. Engage in social listening exercises to stay informed. • Understand the shifts • Identify potential pitfalls • Address areas of concern Don't fear cancel culture – move in harmony with societal changes. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Prioritize open, honest communication — especially during crises. • Admit errors and outline actionable steps • Release detailed, regular updates • Address rumors head-on Transparency fosters trust. It can mitigate potential backlash. 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁 A PR Swiss Army Knife — your key to survival during crises. Maintain an updated set of: • Contacts • Pre-approved messages • Action plans for various scenarios When pressure mounts, this toolkit is your lifeline for well-executed crisis management. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘀 Mistakes happen. Design a framework for public apologies, ensuring they're: • Timely • Genuine • Appropriate A heartfelt apology can go a long way in damage control and brand rehabilitation. It elevates brand stature in the public eye. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 After any PR challenge, conduct a thorough post-mortem analysis: • Understand the issue • Refine your strategies • Strengthen defenses Past challenges hold valuable lessons. Use them to navigate future threats. Don't drop the ball. Enjoyed this? You’ll love my newsletter where I talk about strategic communication, crisis management and public affairs: https://lnkd.in/g8MF5-6g