Common Internal Communication Mistakes

Internal Comms Traps I’m Not Falling For 💥 ❌ “Open rates = effectiveness.” Just because they opened it doesn’t mean they understood it — or acted on it. ❌ “We’ll measure it after the fact.” If you don’t define success up front, you’re just guessing later. ❌ “One communication is enough.” Repetition isn’t a nuisance — it’s how people actually remember things. ❌ “The intranet is the strategy.” A tool is not a plan. Strategy drives outcomes, not platforms. ❌ “Good leaders don’t need help communicating.” They do. Clarity and consistency don’t happen by accident. ❌ “Frontline workers don’t care about strategy.” They care deeply — when it’s made relevant to their work. ❌ “It’s just an announcement.” Every message shapes culture. Use the moment well. ❌ “If no one complains, it worked.” Silence doesn’t mean success. It might mean no one’s listening. Good communication isn’t luck. It’s a discipline.

Communication gaps and weak feedback loops hurt business success. [Client Case Study] A large hospital network noticed declining patient satisfaction scores. Even with state-of-the-art facilities and technology, patients reported feeling unheard, frustrated, and confused about their care plans. The executive team assumed the problem was with staff training or outdated workflows. ‼️ Mistake: Relying on high-level reports and not direct frontline feedback. Nurses, doctors, and administrative staff communicate differently based on their backgrounds, generations, and roles. - Senior physicians prefer face-to-face or email communication - Younger nurses and tech staff rely on instant messaging and digital dashboards - Patients (especially elderly ones) need clear verbal explanations, but many received rushed instructions or digital paperwork ‼️ Mistake: Differences weren't acknowledged and crucial patient information was lost, leading to errors, frustration, and decreased trust. Frontline staff experienced communication challenges daily but lacked a way to share them with leadership in a meaningful way. ❌️ Reporting structures were too slow or ineffective. Feedback was either ignored, filtered through multiple levels of management, or only addressed after major complaints. ❌️ Executives made decisions based on outdated assumptions. They focused on training programs instead of fixing communication systems. ❌️ Systemic decline Employee burnout increased as staff struggled with inefficient systems. Patient satisfaction declined, leading to lower hospital ratings and reimbursement penalties. Staff turnover rose, increasing costs for recruitment and training. 💡 The Solution: A Multi-Channel Communication Strategy & Real-Time Feedback Loop ✅ Physicians, nurses, and patients receive information in ways that align with their preferences (e.g., verbal updates for elderly patients, digital dashboards for younger staff). ✅ Digital tool that allows staff to flag communication issues immediately rather than waiting for annual surveys. ✅ Executives hold regular listening sessions with frontline employees to better understand challenges before making changes. The Result - Patient satisfaction scores improved - Employee engagement increased - Operational efficiency improved Failing to adapt communication strategies and strengthen feedback loops affects reputation, retention, and revenue. (The 3Rs of a successful organization.) Frontline operations directly impact customer and employee experiences. This hospital’s struggle isn’t unique. Every industry faces the risk of misalignment between leadership decisions and frontline realities. Weak feedback loops and outdated communication strategies create costly inefficiencies. If your employees don’t feel heard, your customers won’t feel valued. Business suffers. Are you listening to the voices that matter most in your business? If not, it’s time to start.

Leadership starts with communication. Say the wrong thing, and you'll break trust. Say nothing at all, and confusion takes over. 10 common mistakes, and how to fix them: (Save the carousel PDF to share with others) 1. Talking, not listening ➞ “How can I support you?” opens doors. Silence closes them. ➞ Don’t dominate meetings. ➞ Ask questions instead. ➞ Listening shows respect. ➞ Talking without pause? ➞ Not so much. 2. Avoiding tough conversations ➞ Start with empathy: “I’d like to address something important.” ➞ Delaying feedback makes small problems big. ➞ Your team deserves clarity. ➞ Tough love is still love. 3. Overloading with jargon ➞ Use plain words. “Let’s work together” > “Let’s synergize.” ➞ “Synergize” and “leverage” don’t inspire. ➞ Clear language does. ➞ Speak to people-- ➞ Not over them. 4. Being inconsistent ➞ Saying one thing but doing another confuses teams. ➞ Set clear priorities. Revisit them often. ➞ Consistency builds credibility. ➞ Mixed messages tear it down. 5. Giving vague directions ➞ “Figure it out” frustrates. ➞ “Here’s the goal” empowers. ➞ Spell out the what, why, and how. ➞ Ambiguity wastes time. ➞ Precision saves it. 6. Ignoring nonverbal cues ➞ Your tone matters more than words. ➞ Notice how people feel, not just what they say. ➞ Folded arms? Fidgeting? ➞ They speak volumes. 7. Reacting emotionally ➞ Your tone can escalate or de-escalate any situation. ➞ Frustration clouds judgment.  ➞ Choose calm over conflict. ➞ Pause before responding. ➞ Count to five. 8. Overcommunicating ➞ Endless emails? People stop paying attention. ➞ Stick to what’s essential. ➞ Say less. Mean more. ➞ Cut the fluff. 9. Failing to personalize communication ➞ A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. ➞ “How are you?” works wonders. ➞ Adapt to your audience. ➞ Talk to people, not roles. 10. Forgetting to follow up ➞ “Let’s circle back” should mean exactly that. ➞ Promises without action erode trust. ➞ Your word is your bond. ➞ Accountability is key. Great communication isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention. Speak with clarity. Listen with empathy. And remember: Every word you say shapes your leadership legacy. ❓ Which mistake do you see most often? Let’s discuss below. ♻️ Repost to help others AVOID communication pitfalls. ➕ Follow Nathan Crockett, PhD for helpful content every day.

9 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 About Team Communication Great communication isn’t just about talking—it’s about understanding. Leadership lives and dies by communication. Yet even the best leaders fall into communication traps that create confusion, bottlenecks, and misalignment. Here are 9 brutal truths about team communication—and how to fix them: 1. 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀 ≠ 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Filling Slack, emails, and meetings with updates doesn’t mean your message is landing. Fix: Simplify your channels. Use fewer, well-defined platforms to ensure clarity. 2. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 Sharing tasks without background leads to wasted time and mistakes. Fix: Always explain the "why" behind decisions or projects to align efforts. 3. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘆 A one-size-fits-all approach to communication creates gaps in understanding. Fix: Mix up formats—visuals, written, verbal—to accommodate different styles. 4. 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 If your team isn’t speaking up, it doesn’t mean they’re aligned. Fix: Create safe spaces for honest dialogue and ask for feedback often. 5. 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 Bombarding team channels can overwhelm and lead to important details being missed. Fix: Use Slack sparingly for high-priority updates and encourage asynchronous communication for non-urgent matters. 6. 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 Ignoring conflict or misalignment only makes things worse. Fix: Address issues head-on with empathy, clarity, and actionable solutions. 7. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 Tasks discussed in meetings often get lost without follow-up. Fix: End every meeting with clear action items, owners, and deadlines—and follow up. 8. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 Active listening is one of the most undervalued leadership skills. Fix: Pause, paraphrase what you’ve heard, and ask clarifying questions before responding. 9. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 Saying something once doesn’t mean your team absorbed it. Fix: Repeat key messages across meetings, updates, and check-ins to reinforce alignment. Question: What’s one communication lesson you’ve learned as a leader? Let’s discuss in the comments ⤵ ---- ♻️ Repost and share these leadership tips ➕ Follow me, Ashley VanderWel, for more 📲 Book an anonymous coaching session

🎨🖊️ "Draw two circles under a rectangle…" "Now, make the circles connect to the rectangle" - some of the instructions that were given to me by our Head of Architecture during a recent offsite. We engaged in an exercise that underscored the importance of clear and effective communication. Each participant paired up, with one partner facing a screen displaying an image and the other facing a blank wall with a pen and paper. The challenge? The partner facing the screen had to guide their teammate in drawing the image using only directional and descriptive language. This exercise was a powerful reminder of how crucial it is to be clear, descriptive and thoughtful when sharing requirements, feedback or instructions. In the world of technology, we often fall into the trap of using complex language, acronyms, and omitting details we assume are "obvious." This can lead to confusion, misunderstandings, rework, and ultimately, wasted time. The key takeaway? Being specific doesn't always mean being overly detailed or long-winded. There's a beautiful balance between being specific and descriptive. It's about conveying the right amount of information in a way that's easily understood. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when striving for specificity in communication: - Overloading with Details: Focus on the most relevant information to avoid overwhelming your audience. - Using Jargon and Acronyms: Consider your audience and provide explanations when necessary. - Assuming Shared Knowledge: Provide necessary context to ensure understanding. - Being Vague: Use precise language to prevent misunderstandings. - Neglecting the Audience's Perspective: Tailor your communication to the needs and understanding of your audience. I am reminded of a quote by Mark Twain: "I apologize for such a long letter - I didn't have time to write a short one." Concise communication takes time and effort, but it's always worth it. In our fast-paced world, mastering the art of effective communication is essential. It not only enhances collaboration but also drives efficiency and innovation. #Communication #Leadership #EffectiveCommunication

One of Internal Comms' most important roles is Gatekeeper/Defender of the Inbox. Everyone thinks their team/message/initiative is the Most Important Ever. Internal Comms pros need to gauge against all other communications to balance the flow of information going to employees so they're not flooded and overloaded with content. 👎 No, your department does not need to spin up its own companywide email newsletter. 👎 No, that 10-page memo on proper use of the new coffee machines does not need a one-off email to all field employees. 👎 No, you do not need to ask all employees about their hotel chain preferences (especially not in winter 2021 when travel wasn't happening due to a global pandemic -- or currently when 80% of your employees are in non-traveling roles). 👎 No, employees are not going to watch your 30-minute video. But it's a careful dance. With so many people equating collaboration with acquiescence, it's essential you find ways to say "no" without seeming like a roadblock so you don't develop a reputation for being hard to work with. Redirect the request into other means: ✅ Work the message into other, existing comms channels ✅ Refine or compress the message into digestible content ✅ More tightly direct the message to its appropriate audience Communications is a balance of art and science, and those who excel can wield both to achieve engagement.

If you’re in communications, then you know the following is true: Silence may be golden, but when it comes to leadership, it’s never neutral. Silence sends a message, and if you’re a leader, then it’s not the one you want to send; because silence will crush even the best company culture. Then that sickening feeling creeps in. You know the one. It’s in the pit of your stomach, when you 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 something is happening, but feel completely in the dark and out of the loop and have no idea just how bad it might be for you. It’s damn frightening. Internal communications strategists rightfully preach this fact: “𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦.” They assume something worse: “𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦.” “𝘔𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯.” “𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.” “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘌𝘖 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘴.” And we all know what happens next when there’s no clear message: employees create one of their own, and it spreads like a virus. Whispers. Speculation. Screenshots shared via Slack threads, till eventually the rumor mill produces enough power that it reaches up to the C-suite and blows away the completely unaware leadership team. And what the internal communications team is left cleaning up is a reputational disaster: Rumors outrun the truth. Trust in leadership erodes. Productivity takes a hit. Morale takes a bigger one. Disengaged employees stop caring and start planning an exit strategy. This was all avoidable. It just takes a simple, thoughtful message, delivered with care at the right time, conveying what you do know, acknowledging what you don’t know, and outlining the steps you’ll take to address the questions that remain. Delivering a clear message that acknowledges the unknown doesn’t make you look unaware. It makes you look human and helps people feel seen. So recognize the moment, share what you can, and set expectations for what will come next. Because silence is never neutral. It creates an information vacuum that inevitably, someone will fill. If you’re in charge of communications, then make sure it’s you. ---------- 𝘏𝘪, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘑𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘢, 𝘢 𝘗𝘙 𝘱𝘳𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺: 𝘫𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘩.𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬.𝘤𝘰𝘮