From Mixed Messages to Clear Direction: What Teams Actually Need

Unclear communication is a major problem for teams. It leads to stress, missed deadlines, and low morale. Research shows:

• 52% of employees experience higher stress due to poor communication.
• Only 22% of employees feel their leaders provide clear direction.
• 93% of employees are more likely to stay in companies that communicate well.

The main causes? Conflicting priorities, too many communication channels, and unclear leadership. The solution? Leaders need to focus on clarity, provide feedback opportunities, and tailor communication to team needs. Simple steps like regular audits, clear messaging, and two-way dialogue can make a big difference. Start by ensuring every message is clear, concise, and actionable. This builds trust, improves collaboration, and boosts results.

Clear Communication in Leadership: Build Trust & Drive Results

Finding and Fixing Communication Problems

Leaders need to actively identify and resolve communication issues to ensure team alignment and effective collaboration. Clear communication doesn't happen by accident - it requires regular attention and improvement.

Signs of Poor Communication

Here are some common warning signs that communication might be breaking down:

For example, during a merger, two teams unknowingly worked on the same tasks because roles weren't clearly defined. This led to wasted effort and frustration among team members.

"When work isn't communicated properly, confusion usually ensues." - Avery Augustine

How to Check Your Communication Health

To ensure your team communicates effectively, consider these steps:

1. Conduct Regular Communication Audits
   • Evaluate how well messages are delivered and received.
   • Measure response times and platform usage.
   • Check if critical information is easily accessible.
2. Create Feedback Opportunities
   • Use anonymous surveys to gather honest input.
   • Schedule one-to-one check-ins with team members.
   • Hold group feedback sessions and quick pulse checks.
3. Examine Key Messages
   • Follow up on feedback to ensure clarity.
   • Compare project outcomes with original instructions.
   • Document and review any recurring misunderstandings.

For instance, a vague email about a project caused a team member to assume no immediate action was needed, resulting in missed deadlines. This example underscores how unclear communication can derail team efforts.

Tools and Strategies to Improve Communication

Equip your team with clear guidelines and practical tools:

• Establish standards for tone, language, and formality to avoid misunderstandings.
• Use reliable communication platforms that suit your team's needs.
• Offer training on active listening and effective messaging techniques.
• Build both formal and informal channels for feedback.

Regularly check the "health" of your communication processes to catch issues early. Once you've identified problem areas, focus on crafting messages that truly connect with your team. This proactive approach ensures smoother collaboration and better results.

Building Clear Team Messages

Now that communication issues have been identified, the focus shifts to creating clear, focused messages that align your team. These strategies tackle the mixed signals that may have caused confusion or hindered progress.

Picking the Best Way to Communicate

Different situations call for different communication methods. Here's a quick comparison to help you choose the most effective approach:

Writing Messages That Make Sense

To ensure your messages are understood, focus on these key principles:

Start with the main point

• Lead with the core message and any actions required.

Keep it brief

• Cut out unnecessary words to make your message clear and to the point.

Be specific

• Avoid vague terms. Spell out acronyms, specify measurements, and highlight any important changes.
• Break down complex ideas into smaller, digestible parts.

"Extreme Clarity means communicating something in a way that leaves no ambiguity in the mind of the reader and that all readers ultimately leave with the same understanding." – Simon Cross

Matching Messages to Your Team

The way you communicate should reflect your team’s needs and preferences. By balancing directness with tact, you can strengthen trust and alignment.

Adjust Your Approach: Tailor your communication style to fit individual team members. Be straightforward with those who value clarity, and use a more nuanced tone with those who prefer relationship-focused interactions.

Consider the Context: Use a formal tone when addressing newer team members, gradually shifting to a more relaxed style as familiarity grows.

Combine Different Styles: Effective leaders use a mix of approaches to meet diverse needs. This can include:

• Blending coaching with active listening.
• Balancing clear direction with motivational support.
• Combining teaching moments with advisory guidance.

Once your messages are tailored, the next step is ensuring they’re understood by fostering strong two-way communication.

Making Sure Messages Get Through

Effective communication requires active dialogue and confirmation of understanding. Here’s how to ensure your messages resonate with your team.

Setting Up Two-Way Communication

Encourage an open exchange of information to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Offer Multiple Channels

Provide various ways for your team to connect, catering to different preferences and styles:

Act on Feedback

• Reply to suggestions quickly.
• Implement ideas that make sense.
• Highlight how contributions have made a difference.
• Provide updates on actions taken.

After incorporating feedback, confirm that your team has understood the message.

Checking Message Understanding

Sharing information isn’t enough - it’s crucial to ensure it’s understood.

Ask Clear Questions

• “How do you interpret our agreement?”
• “Can you summarise the next steps we’ll take?”
• “Am I correct in understanding that the project is due Friday, and the marketing push is postponed to next week?”

Summarise key points, schedule regular check-ins, and use feedback loops to confirm clarity.

"Every moment of communication with your team or customer is precious. Especially in hybrid, remote, or fast-moving organisations, you've got to make every interaction count." - Karin Hurt and David Dye

Keeping Communication Strong

Maintaining effective team communication requires constant attention and refinement. Here's how to keep communication practices effective and responsive to your team's needs.

Tracking Communication Results

Measuring how well communication efforts are working helps pinpoint areas for improvement and shows leadership the value of these efforts. Focus on tracking key outcomes to make meaningful adjustments.

Key Metrics to Monitor:

Regular assessments can include:

• Monthly pulse surveys
• Quarterly communication audits
• Bi-annual employee listening sessions
• Annual comprehensive reviews

"Years of conducting audits have proven invaluable - one client even described their audit as 'gold dust' in resetting their internal comms approach. It allowed them to have a completely different conversation with leadership - one that furthered their internal comms transformation strategy."
– Gary Moss, Director, Internal Communication, Gallagher

These metrics provide actionable insights that can lead to immediate improvements.

Making Regular Improvements

As team dynamics change, using data and feedback becomes essential to fine-tune communication strategies.

Establish Feedback Loops:

A national retail company showed the impact of responsive communication by introducing a new scheduling system based on employee feedback. This change boosted satisfaction and lowered turnover by addressing work-life balance concerns.

Steps for Continuous Improvement:

1. Collect Feedback
   • Anonymous suggestion boxes
   • One-to-one meetings
   • Team forums
   • Digital feedback tools
2. Identify Trends
   Look for recurring themes in feedback and metrics. For example, a healthcare organisation used regular staff input to uncover staffing issues during peak hours, leading to better resource allocation and improved patient care.
3. Act on Data and Input
   • Update communication channels
   • Refine message formats
   • Adjust meeting schedules
   • Improve feedback mechanisms

Always follow up by sharing the changes made based on feedback. This reinforces trust and keeps the dialogue open. In fact, 70% of communicators report measuring efforts primarily to prove ROI to their leaders.

Prioritise What Matters Most:

Focus on changes that directly enhance team performance and engagement. Recent statistics highlight key areas teams are improving:

• 64% refine communication channels
• 62% tailor content
• 59% adjust messaging approaches

These steps ensure communication evolves in a way that meets both team and organisational goals.

Conclusion: Better Communication, Better Results

Clear communication is the foundation for understanding and achieving results. Studies highlight that poor team communication often leads to inefficiency.

Why Clarity Matters

When leaders communicate clearly, they unlock a range of positive outcomes:

• Boosted team confidence
• Strengthened trust within the organisation
• A well-defined organisational culture
• Lower levels of uncertainty

"When leaders aren't skilled at creating clarity, even the benefits of their greatest strengths are muted." – Kevin Eikenberry, Chief Potential Officer, The Kevin Eikenberry Group

These outcomes pave the way for meaningful and lasting improvements in leadership communication.

How to Create Meaningful Change

Improving communication starts with intentional leadership practices. Ashwin Demera offers this advice:

"Listen deeply, reflect thoughtfully and reiterate values regularly at all-hands meetings"

Consistently applying these principles ensures communication stays effective and meaningful.

Key Practices for Success

To maintain progress, focus on these core practices:

This structured approach is especially relevant in British workplaces, where indirect communication styles are often the norm.

Achieving better communication requires ongoing effort. By creating open channels, truly listening to feedback, and continuously refining your approach, you can build an environment where teams excel and deliver outstanding results.

FAQs

What practical steps can leaders take to ensure clear and effective communication within their teams?

Leaders can enhance communication clarity by focusing on a few key strategies. Start by setting clear expectations about goals, priorities, and desired outcomes to ensure everyone understands what success looks like. Regularly check for understanding by asking team members to summarise key points or next steps.

Encourage open dialogue and transparency to foster trust and reduce misunderstandings. Actively listen to team members, and be mindful of both your tone and nonverbal cues to ensure your message is received as intended.

Finally, provide consistent feedback and follow up with team members to address any confusion or challenges. Clear, concise communication and regular engagement are essential for building trust and driving team cohesion.

How can organisations assess whether their communication strategies are effective?

To evaluate the effectiveness of communication strategies, organisations can use a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Key metrics include delivery rates, open rates, and employee engagement levels, such as participation in initiatives or feedback received. Surveys and interviews are also valuable tools to gauge team perceptions and identify areas for improvement.

Additionally, tracking the impact on broader business goals is essential. For example, you might measure how many employees join a new programme or observe shifts in behaviours, such as improved customer service. Regular reviews and adjustments ensure communication efforts remain aligned with organisational objectives and foster trust and clarity within teams.

What are the key signs of poor communication in a team, and how can they be resolved?

Poor communication within a team often reveals itself through misunderstandings, missed deadlines, information silos, and disengaged team members. These issues can arise from unclear messages, inefficient information-sharing, or a lack of connection among colleagues.

To address these challenges, leaders can take practical steps, such as creating clear communication guidelines, centralising information with project management tools, and fostering a culture of open dialogue where feedback is encouraged. Messages should always be clear, concise, and audience-focused, and team members should be given opportunities to share concerns and ideas. Encouraging active listening and consistent follow-ups can also help ensure everyone stays aligned.

Related posts

• What Causes Confusion in Leadership Messaging
• When Team Communication Breaks Down
• What stops communication in organisations (And how can leaders avoid pitfalls)
• The Gap Between What You’re Saying and What People Are Hearing