Speak So Your Team Moves (Not Just Nods)

I used to think I was clear.

I’d prep the meeting. Lay out the priorities. Outline what needed to happen, why it mattered, and who needed to do what.

People would nod. Take notes. Smile politely.

And then—nothing.

Days would pass. Deadlines would slip. Half the team would move, the other half would wait.
And I’d find myself wondering, “Did I say it wrong? Did they even get it?”

Turns out, I wasn’t leading communication. I was assuming comprehension.

And that’s not the same thing.

The big mistake leaders make when they “communicate clearly”

We assume that saying something once means people heard it.
We assume that hearing it means they understood it.
And we assume that understanding it means they’ll act on it.

But leadership doesn’t live in what you said.
It lives in what they did after you said it.

If your team isn’t moving, it’s not because they’re lazy.
It’s because your message didn’t land in a way that moved them.

Words aren’t enough. Direction isn’t enough.
You have to speak in a way that pulls people forward.

What Is Effective Leadership Communication?

It’s not about big words.
It’s not about using slides or sending longer emails.
It’s about creating shared understanding—and making that understanding visible in behavior.

When leaders communicate well:

• People know exactly what’s expected
• The “why” is as clear as the “what”
• There’s no second-guessing, side conversations, or hesitation
• Feedback isn’t seen as threat—it’s seen as care
• The team moves, not just reacts

When Henry Changed the Way He Spoke

Henry was one of those leaders who always had the right ideas—strong vision, strong strategy. But he had one recurring problem: his team said “yes” in meetings, and then did nothing afterward.

He thought the issue was follow-through.
It wasn’t. It was how he was delivering the message.

We rewired his communication. He started using simple, grounded language. He made “next steps” the headline, not the footnote. He ended meetings with one shared question:

“Can we all say—out loud—what we’re going to do next, and by when?”

That one shift changed the game.
Suddenly, everyone wasn’t just hearing the same thing—they were owning it, in real time.

Communication Isn’t About Transmission—It’s About Transfer

Harvard Business Review calls it the “illusion of transparency”—leaders believe they’ve been clear, when in fact, much of their message never actually lands.

“Communication is not saying something. It’s being heard and understood in the way you intended.”
– Patrick Lencioni

In The Advantage, Lencioni argues that one of the top leadership challenges is overestimating clarity. The leader thinks they’ve said it clearly. The team walks away with assumptions.

That’s why repetition matters.
That’s why asking people to repeat back what they heard isn’t patronizing—it’s leadership hygiene.
And that’s why how you say it matters just as much as what you say.

The Shift From Talking to Transferring

You don’t need to say more.
You need to say what matters—in a way that sticks.

Try this:

• Lead with outcomes. “What I want you to walk away with is…”
• Repeat the core message at least 3 times in different ways.
• End with clarity: “So the next step is…”
• Ask them to reflect it back: “Can someone repeat what we agreed on?”
• Use language that’s simple, human, and active. Avoid corporate-speak.

And always—always—connect the message to what matters to them.

People don’t move because of data.
They move because the message made them care.

Speak to Move, Not Just to Manage

Your job isn’t just to explain.
It’s to activate.

To create direction without confusion.
To use your words not just to inform—but to spark motion.

Because when your team walks out of the room with energy, clarity, and ownership?
That’s when communication worked.

Not when they nodded.
But when they moved.

What’s Your Take?

Where in your leadership do you feel you’re talking—but not being heard?

If your team isn’t moving the way you hoped, maybe it’s not effort that’s missing—it’s clarity.

I’d love to hear your experience. And if you want to strengthen your team’s communication culture, we can explore coaching, a communication masterclass, or a short learning sprint for your managers.

Let’s help you say less—and move more.