Stop the Confusion: 4 Keys to Communicate with More Clarity

If you talk, and it seems like no one is listening, the problem could be you.

While managers know they need to communicate with more clarity, they often overwhelm others with information — and underwhelm them with the actual message.

Time to Communicate with More Clarity

How often does poor communication get in the way at work? Often enough.

Nearly a third of employees say their managers provide unclear instructions and guidance, which hinders their performance, according to a FlexOS study.

And really, poor communication leaves a lot at stake, especially since we don’t work together as much these days.

“Lack of in-person communication and limited interactions between employees can result in ineffective collaboration and significantly impact productivity,” says Yiannis Gavrielides, networking expert and CEO of COVVE. “A disconnected workforce is more prone to feelings of loneliness and injustice, which can deteriorate staff motivation, impact job satisfaction and increase turnover. Finally, company culture, vision and strategy become harder to pass down to the workforce, leading to a less coherent team.”

To help, we have four keys for leaders to communicate with more clarity, whether you’re writing, sharing in socials, training, presenting or passing along important information to employees.

1. Build Substance

Most managers are passionate about their messages and excited to share them. But that enthusiasm often makes you think everyone else cares as much as you do. Fact is, they probably don’t.

A clear message is a filtered message.

To hone in on what’s important, Mark Vickers, a certified sales coach and speaker, recommends you ask yourself:

• What is the single most important thing I want them to hear?
• What are the three most important details they need to know?
• What do I want them to remember most?
• What action do I want them to take?
• What can I say or ask that will help them take action?
• What story could I use to illustrate the key point?

As you develop the message, keep asking yourself, “Who cares?” If it’s you, and the information doesn’t impact others, leave it out.

2. Keep it Simple

Once you know the core message, deliver it in the simplest way. It’s essential because people are more distracted than ever. They don’t pay attention for long and struggle to stay focused.

The more straightforward you are, the more likely everyone will remember your message.

Use:

• Simple terminology, not jargon
• Short, concise sentences, and
• A short story to illustrate a point.

Bottom line: Fewer words make room for a bigger message.

3. Create Structure

You don’t want the message to feel stilted. But it should be structured.

Try this guideline:

• Build rapport. Refer to something shared, such as traffic, food, a daily event or another experience you’ve all had.
• Open. Introduce the core message in one concise sentence.
• Share information. Give the simplified key details.
• Gather information. Ask questions to confirm the group understands, and/or invite them to ask questions.
• Place the story. Pick a point in your structure where a short, poignant story will have the strongest impact.

4. Pace Yourself

When you speak to convey the message, you can use speed to create a bigger impact.

Try to:

• Record yourself speaking normally to find your baseline speed, tone and volume
• Highlight your most exciting points and say them at a faster rate and slightly higher tone
• Slow down and lower your tone for the important stuff, and
• Pause to let people connect your points and think about the impact.

For a written message, follow a similar guide. Use short, pointed sentences to highlight exciting points. Break down important points using bullets.

Encourage people to ponder the impact with questions at the end.