You’ve written the update. Covered it in the meeting. Mentioned it in the hallway. And still – people are confused.
Some aren’t acting. Others are second-guessing. The Board is asking questions that suggest they didn’t hear a word of your last report.
You’re leading. But it’s not landing.
This is one of the most frustrating – and fixable – realities of leadership: clarity doesn’t scale unless you learn how to communicate up, down, and across. With intention. And adaptability.
Otherwise? The same message gets misunderstood three different ways.
The Leadership Reality: One Message, Many Audiences
Here’s what most leaders miss: Communication isn’t just about saying the right thing. It’s about saying the right thing, the right way, to the right people – at the right level.
You don’t need three different strategies. But you do need to adapt one clear message so that:
- Your team understands what to do, and why.
- Your peers know how it connects to their work.
- Your Board or executives see the bigger picture and strategic implications.
It’s not about dumbing it down or dressing it up. It’s about meeting people where they are, so they can move forward with you.
Why This Matters Even More During Change or Growth
When things are moving fast – new hires, new strategy, new expectations – your communication needs to slow down just enough to create cohesion.
That’s your job as a leader. Especially when:
- Your team is fatigued and needs reassurance.
- Your Board is watching closely and expects traction.
- Your peers are juggling their own changes and can’t guess your priorities.
Without intentional communication, you’ll see misalignment, duplication, and delay. Not because people don’t care – but because they’re hearing three different versions of the same message…or worse, no message at all.
Shift The Mindset: Clarity Isn’t One-and-Done
Clarity isn’t what you say. It’s what they understand – and act on.
And in leadership, clarity takes repetition, translation, and contextual framing. You need to stay consistent in message, but flexible in delivery. Like a prism – one source of light, refracted differently depending on where it lands.
So, how do you do that? Let’s break it down.
5 Tactical Ways to Communicate Up, Down, and Across
1. Start with the Core Message
Before tailoring it for different groups, get laser clear on your own message. Ask:
- What’s the one key idea or decision we need to align around?
- Why does it matter?
- What are the implications?
This is your message backbone. Everything else is adaptation – not invention.
Tip: Write the message in one sentence. If you can’t? It’s not clear enough yet.
2. Translate for Each Audience
Once the message is clear to you, adapt it based on what each group needs to know, do, or decide.
- For your team: Focus on what this means for their daily work. Use plain language. Provide examples. Clarify timelines and expectations.
- For peers or other departments: Highlight interdependencies. How does this affect their work? What coordination is needed?
- For the Board or senior execs: Zoom out. Focus on outcomes, risks, strategic alignment, and how this supports organizational goals.
Same message. Different altitude.
3. Use Multiple Format – and Repeat
Some people hear it best. Others need to see it. And most need to hear it more than once. Use a mix of:
- Verbal: team meetings, 1:1s, Board presentations
- Written: short updates, visual summaries, dashboards
- Visual: diagrams, simple charts, timelines
And repeat. Not in a robotic way – but in a reinforcing way. Repetition creates clarity.
4. Check for Understanding – Not Just Agreement
Nods aren’t always alignment. Don’t assume that silence means buy-in.
- Ask, “What’s your take on this?” or “What questions does this raise?”
- With your team, try a short playback exercise: “How would you explain this to someone else?”
- With the Board, leave space for interpretation – then listen closely to what’s echoed back.
You’re not looking for perfect recall. You’re looking for shared meaning.
5. Create Cascading Communication Routines
Don’t let communication stop at the leadership table.
Build simple routines that help your message travel with integrity:
- After key meetings, send a short written summary: What was decided, what happens next.
- Equip managers or team leads with talking points – so they’re not making it up on the fly.
- Involve others in delivering the message – it reinforces understanding and creates ownership.
The more aligned your messengers, the stronger your message.
A Note on Tone and Trust
Especially in times of change, people listen between the lines. If your tone is rushed, vague, or overly polished – they’ll feel it.
So, be clear. Be honest. Be steady.
You don’t need to have every answer. But you do need to be present, predictable, and willing to say, “Here’s what we know, here’s what we don’t, and here’s what happens next.”
That’s how trust builds – even before results show up.
When Communication Breaks Down: Common Pitfalls to Watch For
If you’re seeing friction, confusion, or disconnect, pause and check for these patterns:
- Message mismatch: What your team is hearing doesn’t match what the Board was told.
- Overloading the update: Too much context, not enough action steps.
- Skipping the “why”: People understand what’s happening but not why it matters.
- Assuming alignment: You haven’t checked how others are interpreting or passing on the message.
These are fixable. But only if you’re willing to slow down, listen, and recalibrate.
A Centering Takeaway
Leadership communication isn’t about saying it once and moving on
It’s about staying with the message until it lands – clearly, consistently, and contextually – up, down, and across.
That’s what brings coherence. That’s what build alignment. And that’s what moves teams forward – especially in seasons of growth or fatigue.
So next time you feel frustrated that “people aren’t getting it”, pause and ask:
- Is the message clear to me?
- Have I translated it for their perspective?
- Have I repeated it reinforced it, and checked for understanding?
Because saying something once isn’t communication. It’s a start.
A Tip to Try
After your next leadership meeting, take 10 minutes to do this:
Write down the core message, in one sentence.
Then rewrite it three times – once for your team, once for your peers, and once for your Board.
It’s a small practice with a big return: clarity, consistency, and trust.
And when people know what to expect from your leadership – everyone moves faster, together.
“The art of communication is the language of leadership.”
— James Humes