One of the important skills of leadership is our ability to communicate. Whether it be written, verbal, or through our actions, it is our communication that guides team members, draws them into the pursuit of vision and goals, and unites them into a cohesive team. A key to effective communication is clarity, the ability to communicate in such a way that our thoughts and intent is clearly presented and clearly understood by recipients.

To achieve clarity in communications sometimes requires the development of our communication skills, especially focusing on the four C’s of clarity – communication that is centered, consistent, comprehensive, and compassionate:

Clarity results from Centered communication – Our communication must be centered or focused on the highest priorities and driven by certain objectives. Our goal in communication as a leader is to set direction and priorities, to move the organization towards accomplishing goals that define success of the organization, to unify the organization in achieving these goals and moving towards the vision, to refine the way that the organization functions, etc.

Among the great mistakes of communication is providing too much or unfocused communication. In providing too much communication, the important messages can become lost. Our communication can begin to sound like Charlie Brown’s parents – “Wah, wah, wah.”

If we feel the need to instruct team members on every minute detail, we might be perceived as a control freak. Control freaks demotivate team members through their belittling practices. Most people prefer the ability to think for themselves and to make choices within the scope of their job responsibilities as they work.

Of course, there is room for our humanity in communications. In fact, it is a necessary element to demonstrate our authenticity and vulnerability from time to time. But especially with larger audiences, clarity in communication comes with focus.

Clarity results from Consistent communication – There are two elements to consistency in communication. The first is the consistency of the message. Our view of vision, goals, and priorities cannot change with the wind. A leader who sets a new direction every month, week, or day simply frustrates team members. They lose confidence in such leadership and cannot be expected to expend effort on a course that will be dropped or altered tomorrow. Therefore, the message communicated must be consistent over time or an explanation for the change in course should be provided to keep the organization on board.

The second element of consistency is the practice of communication on a consistent basis. When the organization is left in the dark without direction, it will develop its own direction. As a leader, we have the responsibility to set or build consensus on direction and then to continually reinforce that message to keep the organization on course.

Clarity results from Comprehensive communication – Half of a message can be as useless as no message at all. When a leader is communicating key messages to the organization, he/she needs to communicate based on the recipients’ perspectives. Of course, we, as the leader, know the background for a decision, we are aware of the risks and unknowns, we have some ideas of the impact on the organization. But the audience is often unaware of these things. Our communication should speak from the audience’s perspective, answering the questions that are likely to arise in the minds of those that are reading, listening, or observing. Communication that lays a solid foundation for the actions of the organization is well thought out and clearly presented.

Clarity results from Compassion in our communication – When emotions enter the picture, recipients hear, read, or observe from a perspective that is heavily influenced by those emotions. In order to hear our message clearly, we must understand and address any relevant emotions as a part of our message. To do so requires that we, as leaders, know our audience and are able to perceive the impact of our communications on a personal level. Once we are able to do so, we can address the emotional impact in a compassionate yet forthright manner as a part of our message.

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Effective leadership relies on effective communication. We move the organization toward its vision and goals through our communication. Therefore, we cannot communicate in a haphazard manner. Our message is understood and accepted when it is presented with clarity. If you find that your communication efforts are sometimes ineffective and lacking in clarity, perhaps developing some of these skills or even doing some work on the underlying character traits might be helpful.

Does your team experience clarity in your communications with them? How are you building clarity?