We’ve all been there.
You gave someone (a colleague, a significant other, maybe your kid) a job to do. When you check in, the work is incomplete, off-base, or done poorly. You go over it again. And again. Eventually, you find yourself saying, “We’ve talked about this five times. Why is it still not done?”
Here’s the truth: it’s probably not a communication problem. It’s a clarity problem.
Effective leaders strike a balance between approachability and precision. When communication breaks down, it’s often not due to tone or frequency. It’s because the message never truly landed.
The Difference Between Talking and Being Understood
Good communication is about more than words. It’s about alignment. It’s about understanding. And most importantly, it’s about outcomes.
The real measure of effective communication isn’t whether you said the right thing, it’s whether the other person knew exactly what to do, why it mattered, and how to move forward.
As a leader, team member, or project owner, your job isn’t just to talk. Your job is to make sure the message lands and leads to action.
The Trap of “Nice”
We all want to be liked. Whether you’re managing people or collaborating with peers, preserving positive working relationships matters. But too often, in trying to be polite, we unintentionally become unclear.
Take this common scenario: it’s a Monday morning check-in. Frank presents his portion of the work. You respond with, “Let’s circle back to this.”
No timeline. No action items. No clarity.
You figure he’ll make progress, and you can review on Friday. But Friday comes, and Frank says he’s been swamped with other tasks. Your suggestion didn’t make it to his priority list.
Now, imagine you had said, “Have a draft ready by Friday.”
That single line gives Frank exactly what he needs to meet expectations and manage his workload accordingly.
Another common pitfall? Masking requirements as suggestions. Saying, “You might want to add a few metrics to the report,” when what you really mean is, “The CEO wants a metrics section—please add it before sending.”
When directives are disguised as friendly feedback, it creates confusion.
You don’t want to be a dictator. But your directive should never get lost in the “nice.” That’s the line to walk.
💡Pro Tip: If you find yourself using a lot of softening phrases (“maybe,” “might,” “if you want to”), ask yourself: Is this a suggestion or a requirement? Make sure your language matches your intention.
What Clarity Looks Like
You don’t need to micromanage. Most people don’t need you to spell out how to do the work, but they absolutely need to know what success looks like.
Here’s what true clarity includes:
✔️ Clear Expectations
What needs to be done, and what are the most important parts of it?
✔️ Clear Timelines
When does it need to be completed?
✔️ Clear Ownership
Who is responsible?
Politeness and professionalism still matter. But fuzzy language like, “Maybe think about revising this…” doesn’t help anyone succeed.
Try this instead: “Please revise the second paragraph to focus on [topic] and send it over by EOD.”
It’s not cold. It’s kind. Because you’re giving someone the confidence to win!
☝️ Note: Want to boost clarity in cross-functional work? Try using a RACI model (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed). It helps teams clarify roles without confusion. Check out ours here.
Cost of Ambiguity
When clarity is missing, everything slows down. You lose time, money, and morale.
What starts as a small misunderstanding becomes a full project delay. People redo work, or worse, do the wrong work. Frustration builds and trust erodes.
Team members feel confused, unappreciated, or ineffective. Leaders feel unheard and unsupported.
You’re not your best self when you’ve asked five times and still aren’t seeing the results. Further, your team isn’t empowered when they’re unsure of the target.
Poor clarity can lead to:
- Missed deadlines
- Rework and wasted effort
- Tension between teams
- Emotional burnout
- Job loss and performance issues
You might not have bad intentions, but broken alignment undermines everyone.
Human-Based Communication Tools
While systems can support clarity, leadership habits are what make it sustainable.
Some of the most powerful communication tools are human (and simple to boot😊).
Praise what went well
When someone nails it, don’t just say, “Nice job.” Be specific.
Let them know exactly what they did right so they can repeat it.
“Thanks for submitting that proposal early and including the cost-benefit analysis. That’s exactly what our stakeholders care about.”
Over time, this builds a library of what “great” looks like in your organization.
💡Pro Tip: Consider establishing a “Wins” SharePoint library where you track examples of work done well. It helps in coaching, evaluations, and onboarding.
Check for understanding
After giving instructions, ask the person to tell you what their takeaways are.
“Just to make sure we’re aligned, can you repeat that back to me?”
You’re not questioning their ability. You’re confirming they have clear action items and understand the timeline.
Use Direct, Kind Language
Use simple, strong verbs: Send, Review, Revise, Finalize, Confirm.
Avoid wishy-washy modifiers like “maybe,” “kind of,” “if you want.”
Remember: Direct doesn’t mean rude. It means respectful and clear.
Demonstrate care
One of the most overlooked tools in effective communication is simply showing you care. Make time for small, genuine check-ins:
“How’s your day going?”
“How did your kid’s game go last night?”
Remember birthdays. Celebrate wins. Acknowledge effort.
These moments may seem minor, but they build trust, and trust is the foundation that makes direct communication possible. When people feel seen and valued, they’re far less likely to interpret feedback as criticism.
💡Pro Tip: Set a recurring reminder to check in with each team member informally. A quick, thoughtful message or two-minute conversation can make a lasting impact.
Invite questions
Ask if anything feels unclear or unrealistic.
“Does the timeline feel doable?”
“Anything you need from me to accomplish this?”
When people feel invited to clarify, they’re more likely to follow through and take ownership.
Work Management Systems Are Your Foundation
No matter how good your intentions or how strong your leadership skills, you still need the right systems to maintain consistency in clarity.
Clear expectations shouldn’t live solely in conversations, but be supported by tools, workflows, and documented processes.
Work management systems can give you:
- Assignments with ownership
- Transparent timelines
- Project visibility for all stakeholders
- Standardized processes for common tasks
When work is structured well, clarity becomes the default.
Clarity is Kindness
People can’t meet expectations they don’t understand.
Clear direction isn’t micromanagement or tromping over someone else’s independence. It’s an act of respect. It says, “I believe in your ability to deliver, and I want to set you up to win.”
If you’re ready to stop repeating yourself and start seeing results, let’s talk.
At Advisicon, we help organizations eliminate the chaos caused by poor communication and unclear processes.
Our consultants combine work management strategy with deep knowledge of tools like Planner, Teams, Power BI, and Project for the Web. We don’t just teach software, we design systems and provide training that support clear leadership, measurable progress, and a stronger culture of accountability.
Whether you need to realign your team, optimize your workflows, or equip your managers with better tools, we’re here to help.
Let us show you how the right work management tools and leadership habits can eliminate confusion, boost performance, and strengthen your culture.
Ready to stop circling back and start moving forward? Contact us!
