Fix How You Talk to Each Other, Achieve Better Results

By Debbie Nicholson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-nicholson-24a53627/

Want Better Results? Fix How You Talk to Each Other

When companies tell me they have “communication problems,” I always ask the same question: “Is it really communication, or is it the fact that nothing is written down, and no one feels safe speaking up?” Most of the time, it’s both.

We say we want collaboration, but we leave people guessing. We promote “open-door” policies, but we roll our eyes when someone walks through the door. We preach teamwork, but our “documentation system” is still a handful of sticky notes and one person’s overloaded memory.

Start with real documentation, not rumors

If your employees learn more from hallway drive‑by comments than from a shared, written process, your communication is already broken.

A few practical shifts:

• Move from “fly‑by” instructions to documented changes. When someone walks past a CSR’s desk and calls over their shoulder, “Change the quantity from 3,000 to 2,000 and ship a day earlier,” that is not communication; that’s a liability. Require that every change is documented (job ticket, email, CRM note) so no one is guessing later.
• Put expectations in writing. You cannot hold people accountable for standards that only live in your head. Job descriptions, customer service expectations, escalation paths, and “what good looks like” should be written and visible.
• Treat processes and procedures as living tools, not binders. Processes define the flow of work; procedures spell out how to do the tasks. When they’re current and accessible, they improve communication, consistency, and trust.
   

The truth is, when leadership fails to document, they force employees to improvise. And improvisation under pressure usually sounds like, “Tell them the ink is not dry yet.” That’s not creative. That’s teaching people to lie.

Invite voices, don’t just announce decisions

There is a big difference between telling people what you decided and including them in how you decide it.

If you want employees to share opinions and concerns:

• Include them in meetings that affect their work. Stop holding “production meetings” that exclude customer service, even though they are holding the money and the projects.
• Ask, “What does this decision do to your day?” When you pile another rush job on a CSR’s desk, don’t assume you know the impact. Let them show you the 15 jobs already in motion.
• Use lunch‑and‑learns and cross‑training. One client began monthly sessions with vendors and discovered that employees felt more empowered and valuable, simply because someone invested in their knowledge.

People don’t leave because they are happy. They leave because they feel useless and unheard. If you want better communication, start by proving that their perspective matters before there’s a crisis, not after.

Build a culture where it’s safe to tell the truth

Every time a leader says, “Just tell them the ink isn’t dry,” they send a message: lying is acceptable when it protects us. You cannot discipline someone for dishonesty in one area and then train them to be dishonest in another. That double standard erodes trust faster than any missed deadline.

Instead:

• Model transparency. If a job will be late because stock is on allocation or a press is down, say so, clearly and early.
• Protect employees from abuse. If a customer is cursing at your CSR, leadership should own that call, and, in extreme cases, the company should be willing to walk away from that business.
• Encourage “timeout” conversations internally. When communication breaks down between teammates, urge them to clear the air quickly. Everyone feels it anyway; pretending otherwise only breeds resentment.
   

Improved communication isn’t another slogan. It’s a daily choice to document clearly, include the right people, invite honest input, and refuse to build your business on half‑truths and heroic guessing. That’s how you move from chaos and complaint to clarity and commitment.