Every leader I work with wants to improve team collaboration – to build a culture of psychological safety, feedback, and belonging.
Yet many overlook the most crucial piece of the puzzle: effective communication.
Many leaders don’t communicate as well as they think they do. They ramble, fail to make their point, or overwhelm others in a sea of unnecessary details. The result? More noise than value.
Research supports this: Communication quality is critical for team collaboration – and performance. According to McKinsey, clear communication boosts productivity by 25%. On the flip side, poor communication leads to project failures.
So, how can your team turn noise into impact?
Effective communication comes down to mastering four key areas: Clear, Concise, Collaborative, and Competent. Let’s explore actionable methods that you can put them to work with your team.
Clear Communication: Increase Understanding
Communication isn’t about what you say but what others hear. In other words, message sent doesn't always equal message received (But we often assume it does. I.e., The # 1 Communication Error). Being clear means delivering your message so it’s easy to understand. Use simple, direct, and concrete language that highlights your key points.
1. Assume Low Context
Consider your audience. Don’t assume they have the same background or context you do. People can’t read your mind (or body language). That’s even more critical in virtual meetings or when communicating asynchronously.
Ask yourself these three questions before sharing information:
1. Is it clear?
2. Will the other person understand what I need?
3. Am I providing enough context?
2. Avoid Too Many Details
Don't rely on context to explain away vague or ambiguous statements. If your point requires too much context to be understood, rephrase it to stand on its own.
Too many details overwhelm people. When you overload your colleagues, your main point gets lost.
Don’t hide behind context. Over-explaining masks a lack of ownership – focus on what you can control instead.
Additionally, too much context drives anxiety. Others might think you’re stalling before delivering bad news.
3. Write Before You Speak
Use writing to clarify your thinking. It’s difficult to establish what we think before we put it down in words. Even if you’re like me – and like to “talk-to-think” – you could benefit from writing their ideas first.
Writing before you speak refines your message, reduces rambling, and keeps you on track.
4. Ask Clarifying Questions
Better listening leads to clearer communication. Clarifying questions prevent you from jumping to conclusions and making wrong assumptions. They also encourage us to be more specific. Clarifying questions show that you care.
Examples:
· "Could you elaborate on that?"
· “What do you mean by ___?”
· “Could you explain (the concept) in another way?”
· “What’s your key point?”
· “Can you give me an example?”
5. Sharpen Your Message with an Outline
A simple outline helps organize your thoughts and ensures others understand your message. This approach adds structure while preserving authenticity and storytelling.
Use this three-part approach:
· I think... (State your point)
· Because... (Provide a reason)
· Therefore... (Explain the implication or next step)
Concise Communication: Save Time
Being concise isn’t about being brief – it’s about finding the right kind of brevity. The goal is to say more with less while preserving meaning. Being concise is hard.
1. Time Box Discussions
Setting time limits increases focus, improves time management, and ensures you can tackle everything on the agenda.
Allocate a fixed amount of time for each topic or decision. Use a timer when needed. For example: “We’ll spend 10 minutes on this decision, then move on.”
Be flexible but deliberate. Some topics may need more time than planned. Consider which items are expendable – if one runs long, which other will you kill instead?
2. Establish Response Parameters
Standardize participation by setting clear response guidelines: One word, one sentence, or one paragraph. I use this when facilitating workshops to encourage fair participation and ensure everyone sticks to the same length.
· One Word: For quick check-ins or gut reactions.
· Example: “How do you feel about the project?” — “Confident” or “Frustrated.”
· One Sentence: For concise reflections or brief feedback.
· Example: After codifying team hybrid work norms — "This helped us identify clear expectations to prevent people who abuse freedom and flexibility."
· One Paragraph: For deeper insights or detailed explanations.
· Example: To explain a decision — "We need to postpone the product launch to address critical user feedback from beta testing, which… blah blah blah."
Next time you need your team’s input, set a clear parameter – one word, one sentence, or one paragraph.
3. BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)
Start with the most important point first. Share the headline of the news, and then explain the details. This method ensures everyone immediately understands the key message.
· Headline: “We need to cancel the event. The venue is unavailable, and we don’t have time to find an alternative.”
· Explanation: Discuss key factors and the next steps to address the situation.
4. Avoid Redundancies
State your point once and trust your audience will get it. Repeating or rephrasing the same point wastes everyone’s time. If people need clarification, they'll ask for it.
Likewise, if someone shares an idea you agree with, simply acknowledge it and move on. You don’t need to restate their point in your own words.
5. Cut to the Chase
What is your most important point? Identify your key message and lead with it. Consider who you’re presenting to, how much they already know, and the purpose of the meeting.
Cutting to the chase helps everyone address issues faster and achieve more in less time.
Collaborative Communication: Promote Dialogue
Collaboration thrives when people feel welcome to share their thoughts, build on each other’s ideas, and respect different opinions.
1. Assume Positive Intent
Most communication is miscommunication. That’s why assuming positive intent is crucial in workplace interactions. When messages get lost in translation, avoid jumping to conclusions.
Imagine a teammate’s email sounds aggressive. Instead of assuming they’re upset, find out what’s going on.
Try this framework from Uptick:
· Restate the problem using objective language
· Ask questions to seek clarification
· Be clear about your intent
· Remember not to doubt people’s abilities
2. Ask Follow-Up Questions
Follow-up questions show you’re engaged and value your colleagues' input. They keep the conversation going and promote participation.
Examples:
· "If you were to play devil’s advocate, what would you say?"
· “How so?”
· “What are we missing?”
· “What led you to that (conclusion/ decision)?”
Avoid asking “Why?” or “Why did you do that?” – they can be perceived as an attack rather than a follow-up.
3. Use "Yes, And" Instead of "Yes, But"
How we react to an idea can shut down creativity or spark collaboration. Saying “no” immediately shuts down people, while "Yes, but" also feels dismissive. Instead, respond with "Yes, and."
Rooted in improv theater, this technique is about amplifying an idea regardless of whether it’s good or bad. The principle is that ideas are bridges – each one can take us to better places.
Example:
· “We should add some plants to the office."
· "Yes, and we could create a small garden corner."
· "Yes, and we could grow our own herbs."
· "Yes, and we could have monthly cooking lessons as team bonding."
4. Ask "What If?" Questions
Statements make people defensive, as if your suggestion is a must. Frame ideas as hypotheses to invite curiosity and encourage discussion.
Examples:
· "What if we define our in-office days based on projects rather than on a rigid schedule?”
· “What if we don’t fill open positions and instead give everyone an end-of-year bonus?”
5. Pause with the 5-Second Rule
Silence is a powerful tool for team communication. It invites reflection and encourages active listening while letting introverts prepare before they speak up.
After you ask a question, slowly count to five. Instead of sharing your thoughts or asking a follow-up question, just breathe. Let people reflect on your question and chime in when they’re ready.
Five seconds feels like nothing, but in a virtual meeting, it’s more uncomfortable than you can imagine.
Competent Communication: Build Trust
1. Think before You Speak
· Apply the THINK framework to avoid talking for the sake of it. Ask yourself:
· True: Is it factually correct?
· Helpful: Does it add value or solve a problem?
· Inspiring: Will it motivate or support the team?
· Necessary: Is this information essential to the discussion?
· Kind: Are you expressing it in a respectful way?
2. Drop Hedging Language
Phrases like "I think," "This might," or "It should" dilute your message and undermine credibility. Instead, use clear, direct statements to speak with confidence and conviction.
· Weak: "I think we should try a new approach."
· Strong: "We need to try a new approach."
Hedging language is vague and cautious – it makes you look uncertain and even untrustworthy.
3. Validate Disagreement
If you think someone disagrees with you, ask a question. Don’t jump to conclusions by assuming they’re not on the same page. Ask, “What are we not aligned on?” or “Is there anything we should do differently?”
Don’t assume silence means agreement, either. If people are quiet, double-check: "Please give me a thumbs up if you agree.” This encourages people to surface concerns early.
4. Validate Ideas with Facts
Ground your statements or recommendations in evidence. Use data, examples, or evidence to support your points.
Double-check your facts. Ensure your information is accurate before presenting it. Verify sources and data before interjecting.
5. Acknowledge What You Don’t Know
Competent team members acknowledge their limits. They don’t shy away from saying, “I don’t know.” When you don’t have an answer, it’s better to be honest and commit to finding one.
Pretending to have all the answers makes your team weaker, not smarter.
From Noise to Collaboration
Mastering communication isn't about saying more; it's about removing noise to let value shine. Start with clear and concise communication. Foster collaboration by promoting dialogue instead of trying to dominate the conversation.
The next time you speak, ask yourself: “Am I adding value or just noise?”
Your team’s success depends on the answer.
Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT
Take the Next Step...
Interested
in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability,
culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative
discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To
request an interview with Peter Mclees please
contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com or Mobile:323-854-1713
Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, energy storage, facility services & maintenance, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.
