People only know what they know.
And when people don’t have enough information, they tend to fill in the blanks themselves. They draw their own conclusions and make assumptions – creating their own version of the story.
And sometimes that version is far from reality.
I’ve seen this happen repeatedly in leadership. A decision gets made without enough explanation. A change is announced without enough context. Or a leader simply doesn’t communicate what they’re thinking.
People are left to figure it out on their own.
And what people assume is happening can become more influential than what is actually happening.
This makes communication one of the most important responsibilities of leadership.
I’ll admit, this is an area where I have to continually work. I’m not naturally a details person. I tend to think big picture. And frankly, I don’t always need a lot of details to move forward.
But I’ve learned that other people do.
Sometimes I’ve already moved on to the next idea while others are still trying to understand the first one. What seems perfectly clear in my mind may not be clear to anyone else.
And that’s not necessarily their problem. It’s often mine.
People can’t read my mind. Nor should I expect them to.
So I’ve learned a few things I have to do intentionally.
Keep an open door. People need to know they can approach me when something doesn’t make sense. And they need to know they won’t be criticized for asking questions.
Invite questions. An open door isn’t always enough. Sometimes people need permission to ask. I need to create opportunities for them to seek clarity. I try to end every meeting I’m in with What questions do you have for me?
Solicit feedback. I have to ask what people are hearing, what they’re confused about, and what I haven’t explained well. Sometimes the best way to know whether I’ve communicated clearly is to ask someone to tell me what they heard.
Communicate more than feels necessary to me. What seems repetitive to me may be the first time someone else has fully understood it.
Of course, leaders can’t share everything. Some information is confidential. Some decisions are still being processed. And sometimes we simply don’t have all the answers.
But even communicating what we don’t know is better than allowing people to assume we know and aren’t telling them.
Here’s something I continue to learn – If I don’t help people understand the story, I shouldn’t be surprised when they write their own.
And their version may be nothing close to what I intended.
Leader, where are people having to fill in the blanks because you haven’t communicated clearly enough?
