How Can Simple Communication Habits Accelerate Your Career
I remember a few years ago, a colleague was running a STEM event locally. It was not something I was particularly interested in, I’m not a science kind of person, but they needed numbers. I figured, I might pick up some info for my son, an aspiring engineer at the time.
Despite this topic not being of interest to me, the presenters made a real impact on me. Both were professors from the University of Sydney in the engineering department. One had had the career trajectory of stepping through the academic pathway. The other earned an honourary degree because of all the engineering knowledge he had acquired through his career with Formula One racing.
Both, affirmed a vital behavioural competency essential for career success in engineer. One that they work hard to cultivate in the university.
Most people think that career growth comes from working hard and studying hard, and to some degree, yes, this is true.
That one skill that quietly influences almost everything we do at work is clear and effective communication.
If you want to shift gears and fast track, your leadership journey, from being an individual contributor to a C-suite level, learning how to communicate clearly is what will give you a competitive edge.
People don’t realise the impact of clear communication and how far the impact reaches. If you want to improve trust, productivity, engagement, decision making or relationships. They all rely on highly effective communication skills.
Why is clear communication so important at work?
What I see in the workplace mediations that I do is that poor communication creates confusion, frustration, mistakes and unnecessary conflict. Clear communication helps people understand expectations, make decisions faster and work together more effectively.
What we see in mediation is that when there’s been no clarity in communication, teams will experience:
Misunderstandings based on assumptions
Lower engagement
More mistakes
Reduced productivity and people withdrawing
Frustration leading to the conflict
Declining morale
Higher turnover
The challenge is that many people believe they are being clear when they are actually providing too much information or burying the main message.
What does clear communication actually look like?
Clear communication means making it easy for others to understand your message quickly and accurately. Additionally, the message might need to be modified depending on the audience receiving it. Remember, clear communication focuses on the information people need most rather than everything you know.
So, instead of:
"After assessing the current project status, it looks like we might encounter some challenges with meeting the..."
Say:
"We're at risk of missing the June 30 deadline due to X. I'm suggesting we do Y."
The second example immediately communicates the issue and the proposed solution. No need to intellectualise what you’re saying or trying to be overly clever. Get to the point in a way that people can digest what you’re saying.
How can you communicate more clearly in meetings?
The most effective meetings start with a clear objective. Sounds simple, right, but I’m sure we’ve all been to meetings for the sake of being seen to have a meeting. People should know why they are there and what outcome is expected otherwise, what’s the point?
For example, instead of saying:
"As we gather for our weekly team meeting, I want to cover several topics..."
Try:
"Today's goal: cut project delays by identifying key blockers and assigning resources."
This creates focus and helps everyone stay aligned around a specific outcome.
There’s a time lag between your mouth and their brain.
People are processing information constantly. Think of this way, there’s a bit of a time lag from the words exiting your mouth, entering their ears and processing in their brain. Too many complex phrases and words, means their brain has to do a whole lot of filtering. The easier your message is to absorb, the more likely it is to be understood and remembered.
A good example is project updates.
Instead of a lengthy explanation, a concise update might be:
"We're 75% complete and on track to meet all remaining deadlines."
The audience immediately understands the status without needing to work through unnecessary detail.
Simple language is not about dumbing things down. It's about respecting people's time and attention.
How can leaders improve communication with their teams?
Strong leaders actively listen and ensure their messages are understood. There’s a real art to actively listening that required critical thinking, adaptive thinking and emotional intelligence.
Some practical habits include:
Listening actively before responding
Getting to the point quickly
Using fewer words
Writing in bullet points where appropriate
Using simple language (not acronyms, lingo or jargon)
Repeating important messages consistently
Providing feedback that focuses in on being developmental (not constructive).
If you can focus in on these behaviours, it will make it easier for you to create clarity, trust and alignment across teams.
Does repeating yourself improve communication?
Yes to some degree. Important messages often need to be heard multiple times before they become understood and remembered. To avoid becoming monotonous, I’d recommend diversifying how the message is delivered. For example, email, team meetings and one-on-one meetings.
Many leaders avoid repetition because they worry they are overcommunicating. In reality, people are sometimes hearing a message clearly for the first time, even if it feels repetitive to the person delivering it.
Consistent communication reduces confusion and keeps priorities visible.
So how does clear communication help career growth?
Quite simply, clear communication builds credibility. Nothing puts people off more than poor communication. People don’t trust or support someone who is inconsistent, vague, ineffective or not adaptive to the communication style of those they communicate with.
When we support leaders to become more effective in their communication, what we see is leaders who:
Influence more effectively
develop stronger relationships
have less conflicts and misunderstandings
Solve problems faster and really well
We see a real difference with those leaders who have developed strong skills in clear communication because it has become a significant career advantage.
Don’t mistake clear communication for looking and sounding clever or smarter. That’s not the goal here.
Clear communication is about making it easier for others to understand, act and contribute. At the end of the day, as a leader, that’s what you want right? You see, the most effective communicators because they keep it simple and clear.
So if you want to level up your career, have stronger relationships or better team performance, seriously consider how you are communicating with your team. Your communication capability is definitely a skill worth mastering.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to improve communication skills?
Start by simplifying your messages. Focus on the key point first, remove unnecessary words and make your next step or recommendation clear.
How do I stop overexplaining at work?
Before speaking or writing, ask yourself: "What does the other person need to know?" Then communicate only the information needed to understand the situation and take action.
Why do teams misunderstand each other so often?
Misunderstandings usually occur when messages are vague, overly detailed or open to interpretation. Clear language and specific outcomes reduce confusion.
What communication skill is most important for leaders?
Active listening is one of the most important, yet underrated, communication skills because it helps leaders understand concerns, clarify expectations and build rapport.
How can I make my project updates clearer?
Lead with the outcome or status first. For example: "We're 75% complete and on track." Follow with only the essential supporting details
Source: How To Communicate Clearly, Michael Jaindl - Full Potential Zone, LinkedIn
What's Next?
If you are leader wanting to improve your leadership capabilities or a HR professional wanting to improve capabilities of you leadership team, I can provide you a free strategy session to find solutions that work for you or your team. Book Your Call Here
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