Strategies to Minimize Communication Loss in Leadership

Communicating with clarity is crucial for success. But what if what you said isn't "what they heard"? Communication confusion among leaders and teams often happens because of: ➡️ Skipping Details You gloss over the important stuff. ➡️ Not Getting to the Point You’re using jargon and filler words. ➡️ Overuse of Nonverbals Your expressions don't convey the full message. ➡️ Avoiding Tough Conversations You don't want to cause disagreement. ➡️ You're Just Busy Communicating with everyone is a lot of work! Here's the good news: All it takes to become a better communicator? Intentional commitment. Here are 10 quick tips to ensure CCC ↳ Crystal Clear Communication: 1. Ask if they understand. There’s no better way to confirm they get it than by asking them to explain it back! 2. Share often. You may not always get it right in one shot. Plan for more opportunities to get your point across. 3. Keep it simple. Stay away from jargon and stick to the main idea. What's the “so what?” about it? 4. Try different methods. Share your messages through various media: Writing, speaking, storytelling, visuals. 5. Pay attention and listen intently. If you’re not focused on them, you can’t expect them to return the favor. 6. Remind them. Make it easy for others to recall your agreements. Ask them for takeaways and repeat your action items. 7. Avoid interrupting. Don’t just broadcast; let them finish their message. They’ll hear yours better after processing their own. 8. Watch their reactions. Pause if they aren't listening or look confused. Ask how they’re hearing you and what they think. 9. Take breaks. It’s better to preserve mental energy. Don’t hold them hostage. Everyone needs breaks. 10. Use examples. Use metaphors, examples, or descriptive language. It helps different learners understand you better. And lastly, lean into the moments you’re avoiding. That conversation you keep putting off? It's time to tackle it. Clear communication isn't just about being heard. It's about connecting, leading, and growing together. You've got this! Let's make every word count. __________ Enjoy this? Repost to share with your network ♻️. And follow Nihar Chhaya, MBA, MCC for more leadership tips. Thanks!

Most people ARE indirect communicators. Being direct feels ‘aggressive’ or ‘too much’ or ‘impolite.’ So to present as more ‘pleasing’ or ‘compliant’ or ‘nice’ we use phrases like: ✔️“just” “maybe” “could” “possibly” when making requests, which in our mind express politeness AND also express hesitation Indirect communication is expressed as HESITATION. ✔️Like when you say, ‘we all need to’ instead of ‘you or [insert name here] needs to’ because you’re uncomfortable holding someone accountable or like when you automatically anticipate pushback related to what you’re requesting so you ask for what you can get vs. the outcome you want.... ✔️Or when you follow-up and say ‘hate to bother you’ as if its burdensome for someone to respond to your e-mail request or message, especially when you’re seeking to resolve an issue 🔵WHAT'S THE POINT? Indirect communication , while intended to demonstrate politeness, instead comes across as doubt, wavering or dillydallying that makes the person listening question your authority. 🔵WHAT CAN YOU PRACTICE? BE 1% more direct. Eliminate a hedgeword (just, like, possibly, could) , use fewer words, be more open about the outcome you want, or speak clearly to who is accountable. #growth #communication #leadership

Even as a seasoned executive, I still feel that knot in my stomach before a #tough_conversation. With a team member whose performance is slipping. A peer creating friction. Or a partner across the table when I have to deliver bad news. I’ve learned that avoiding it only erodes trust. A while back, I had to tell a long-time partner that a key project milestone would be missed due to an interconnection delay beyond our control. I knew it would land hard - it meant financial strain for both sides. I could’ve sent an email. Instead, I picked up the phone. I acknowledged their frustration, laid out the facts, and - most importantly - offered options for moving forward. It wasn’t an easy conversation, but it preserved the relationship because it became a negotiation, not just bad news. Here’s what works, whether you’re talking to a subordinate, a peer, or a counterparty: - Lead with context, not blame. Show why the conversation matters and connect it to the bigger picture. - Be specific—and bring options. Don’t just drop the problem. Share what’s at stake and what’s possible. - Invite dialogue, not just agreement. Pause. Ask, “How does this feel to you?” or “What’s the best way forward from your perspective?” Even after decades in leadership, I still feel a flicker of discomfort before these talks. But that discomfort is a signal - you’re about to build trust, not lose it. How do you handle the tough talks?

When people say "I told you ..." it usually means the words were said but not effectively communicated. I told my three year old what would happen with the open cup in the car, but she still spilled it. I told my partner that I was uncomfortable with the conditions, yet we still skied sketchy terrain than slide the day after. If we as leaders committed to communicating instead of telling, many of our headaches would disappear. This means checking for understanding with a closed feedback loop. I love teaching communication using Claude Shannon's information theory. It's all about digital transfer of data, and it all absolutely applies to our conversations. Often we think we communicated something and yet we did not even transmit the data. We forgot to send the email or just hoped our passive aggressive behavior would get the message across. At times we use the wrong channel, one with high noise or low bandwidth. We send critical information on a clogged email line (low bandwidth), or say something deeply important to us in a high emotion conversation (high noise). We encode our message in the way we want to say it, but how the other person needs to hear it. Perhaps most importantly, we forget to confirm receipt and understanding - telling instead of communicating. The cool thing it that many of these issues can be easily fixed. It's not deep ideological barriers that prevent quality communication on your team, it's just bad habits. Check out the comments for a full article on how to get better at communication using information theory and consider taking your team on an adventure with us if you want to get coaching and practice! #communication #teams #leaders