How Clearly Do You (Think You) Communicate?

We’ve all experienced the leader who’s convinced they’ve made their point. They’ve said it in meetings, included it in emails, maybe even put it on a slide. Yet somehow, the team isn’t acting on it.

This happens when clarity is mistaken for frequency. Just because something is said often doesn’t mean it’s being understood. True clarity isn’t about how much we’ve said—it’s about whether others can take what we’ve said and make it their own.

The Disconnect

Communication isn’t a one-way street. It’s easy to assume that if we’ve spoken clearly, the job is done. But clarity isn’t about what we’ve said—it’s about what others have heard, understood, and absorbed.

Leaders often get trapped in their own perspective. Spending weeks immersed in strategy discussions makes the goals feel second nature. But for the team hearing it for the first—or even the fifth—time, it can feel overwhelming or disconnected from their day-to-day responsibilities.

This disconnect grows when there’s no opportunity for the team to reflect back or engage. Instead of clarity becoming a shared outcome, it remains something the leader owns, hoping it filters down.

Moving Beyond “Broadcasting”

Leadership communication isn’t just about broadcasting a message. It’s about co-creating meaning. When teams are invited to engage with the strategy and contribute their perspective, the clarity gap begins to close.

Here’s where we can rethink our approach:

• Ask, Don’t Just Tell
  Rather than assuming the message has landed, create space for feedback. Simple questions like, “What’s your understanding of this?” or “How do you see this impacting your role?” can surface areas of misunderstanding before they become bigger issues.

• Layer the Message
  Repetition is helpful, but only when it’s meaningful. Instead of repeating the same phrases in different formats, try layering the message. Use stories, analogies, and team discussions to make it feel relatable. A strategic goal framed as “hitting our revenue target” lands differently than one tied to a customer story or a long-term vision of growth.
  

• Simplify and Focus
  Complexity kills clarity. When we try to explain too much at once, the core message gets lost. Instead, distill the message into its most essential parts. If the team can articulate it in one or two sentences, we’re on the right track.
  

• Anchor it to Visuals
  We all know it - images are easier to remember (and more expressive) than words. Is there a big, clear resonating image you can use to anchor your message to?

Building Ownership of the Message

True clarity isn’t achieved by saying something perfectly—it’s achieved when others can take the message and make it their own. Ownership happens when the team feels connected to the “why” behind the goals and understands how their contributions fit into the bigger picture.

This process starts by ensuring the message resonates beyond the leadership level. Leaders can ask their teams to describe the strategy in their own words or share how they plan to act on it. These conversations are not about catching mistakes—they’re about fostering shared understanding and alignment.

Clarity in Action

The best leaders see clarity as a journey, not a checkbox. It’s about more than delivering the message; it’s about building a shared sense of purpose.

When teams are aligned and invested, the energy shifts. Tasks feel less like obligations and more like steps toward something meaningful. Goals become clearer, progress becomes visible, and the sense of collective momentum grows.

In the end, clarity isn’t measured by how often we’ve spoken but by how well the team can carry the message forward. When leaders think they’ve been clear, it’s worth pausing to ask: Does everyone truly see what we see? It’s a small question, but one that can lead to big results.

For more on fostering alignment and shared understanding, explore The Why Gap (“Is this thing on?”).