For Mid-Level Managers (Team Leaders and People Managers)
Project managers, department heads, and supervisors focused on boosting clarity, engagement, and execution
Introduction: Why Communication, Not Competence, Breaks Most Teams
Many managers assume that if they give clear instructions, their teams will understand and execute them correctly.
However, miscommunication is one of the biggest obstacles to productivity, collaboration, and morale.
Missed deadlines, frustrated employees, and costly mistakes are often the result of communication failures, not incompetence or lack of effort.
Jorge Loebl, founder of Revolving Change, described it best:
“We assume people understand what we’re saying, but that’s a dangerous assumption. We often think we’re clear when, in reality, people have understood something completely different. And that’s where miscommunication begins.”
For managers, effective communication is not just about giving information.
It is about creating alignment, fostering feedback, and ensuring clarity at every stage of work.
This article will break down how managers can improve team communication, prevent misunderstandings, and create a culture of engagement and accountability.
Discover: The Silent Mistakes That Break Team Momentum
Managers who struggle with communication often do not realize where breakdowns are happening.
Here are the most common mistakes that lead to team misalignment:
When Silence Isn’t Golden — It’s a Warning Sign
One of the most dangerous assumptions managers make is believing that if an employee does not ask questions, they understood the instructions.
Jorge warned against this mindset in the podcast:
“I used to speak way too fast, and people said yes all the time. But they didn’t say yes because they understood, they said yes because they were embarrassed to ask if they didn’t understand.”
Key Insight:
Silence does not mean comprehension.
Employees might be hesitant to ask for clarification because they fear looking incompetent.
Managers must actively check for understanding.
✓ Giving One-Way Instructions Instead of Two-Way Communication
Many managers rely on one-way communication (emails, memos, directives) without ensuring that employees fully understand expectations.
Jorge explained this risk:
“If I give an instruction and walk away, assuming it’s understood, I’m not managing, I’m gambling.”
Key Insight:
One-way communication is sometimes necessary, but it should be balanced with two-way communication — discussions, feedback loops, and clarifications.
✓ Unclear Expectations Lead to Unnecessary Mistakes
When expectations are vague, employees fill in the gaps with their own interpretations, leading to inconsistent performance.
Jorge illustrated this problem with a real-world example:
“I hear managers say, ‘But I told them what I wanted!’ Well, how do you know they heard it the way you meant it? If someone interprets your instructions differently, it’s not their fault — it’s your responsibility to ensure alignment.”
Key Insight:
If an employee misinterprets an instruction, the miscommunication is on the manager, not the employee.
Managers must ensure expectations are clearly defined.
Design: Build a Communication System That Aligns, Engages, and Delivers
To avoid these pitfalls, managers need a structured approach to team communication that ensures clarity, engagement, and accountability.
This is where our Discover, Design, Deliver (3‑D) process comes in.
✓ Use One-Way vs. Two-Way Communication Wisely
Knowing when to use each type of communication is key to avoiding misunderstandings.
- One-way communication works for broad announcements, data reports, or company-wide updates
- Two-way communication is essential for task assignments, feedback, and decision-making
Example:
A project manager sends out an email with task assignments.
Instead of assuming employees understood, they schedule a quick team call to confirm roles and answer questions.
Jorge’s Take:
“If I send a message and don’t get a response, I don’t assume it was received correctly. I follow up, I ask for confirmation, I check for understanding. Because the cost of miscommunication is always greater than the cost of taking the time to verify.”
✓ Implement Clear Expectation-Setting
A team cannot execute well if they do not know exactly what is expected of them.
Steps to Setting Clear Expectations:
- Be specific. Avoid vague instructions and give measurable goals
- Confirm understanding. Ask employees to rephrase instructions in their own words
- Define success. What does “done well” look like? What are the deliverables?
Example:
Instead of saying, “I need this report ASAP,” say,
“I need the monthly sales report by Friday at noon, including the revenue breakdown by product category.”
Turn Feedback into Fuel — Not Friction
Feedback should be a continuous conversation, not just an annual review process.
How to Make Feedback Effective:
- Give feedback in real-time, not weeks later when the issue is forgotten
- Make it specific. Instead of “Good job,” say, “I appreciate how you structured that report clearly”
- Encourage upward feedback. Employees should feel comfortable giving feedback to managers as well
Jorge’s Take:
“A feedback culture isn’t just about correcting mistakes, it’s about making sure employees know what they’re doing well. When you only give feedback when things go wrong, you create fear, not improvement.”
✓ Leverage Nonverbal Communication to Read Between the Lines
Much of communication happens beyond words — through tone, facial expressions, and body language.
How to Use Nonverbal Communication Effectively:
- Pay attention to employee reactions in meetings (confusion, disengagement, hesitation)
- Use tone and body language to reinforce your message
- Watch for nonverbal cues that suggest employees need more clarity
Jorge’s Take:
“You see someone nodding, and you assume they agree. But later you find out they didn’t. That’s why asking questions is key — you can’t rely on assumptions.”
✓ Create a Communication Rhythm
A structured communication process ensures that misalignment is corrected early and teams stay on track.
Best Practices for Team Communication:
- Daily or weekly check-ins → Short updates on project status and priorities
- Monthly expectation-setting meetings → Align on goals and responsibilities
- Quarterly communication reviews → Identify what is working and where improvements are needed
Deliver: Make Communication a Managerial Habit, Not a Crisis Response
Once managers refine their communication strategies, they must implement them consistently to ensure long-term impact.
Key Actions for Managers to Take Immediately:
- Set Clear Expectations → Define roles, goals, and success criteria explicitly
- Check for Understanding → Ask employees to confirm their understanding in their own words
- Encourage Two-Way Communication → Allow employees to ask questions and clarify instructions
- Give Continuous Feedback → Correct mistakes early and reinforce positive behaviors
- Monitor Nonverbal Cues → Watch for signs of confusion or hesitation
Final Thoughts: Communication Makes or Breaks a Team
A manager’s ability to communicate effectively determines team performance.
When communication is unclear, employees become frustrated, mistakes happen, and productivity suffers.
Jorge summarized it best:
“Managers who communicate effectively create teams that execute efficiently. And when a team executes well, everything else falls into place.”
The good news is that communication is a skill that can be learned, refined, and mastered.
Stop Guessing, Start Leading with Clarity
If you are ready to improve team performance, morale, and accountability, it starts with communication.
Inside any of our Memberships, you will get real-world tools and ongoing support to help you lead with confidence and clarity.