Communication That Doesn’t Suck
- Deborah Ann Martin
- Nov 11
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 13
There’s a reason communication is one of the most talked about topics in leadership and one of the most poorly done. Bad communication breaks teams. It breaks trust. And it wastes time, energy, and money.
As a new supervisor, your ability to clearly communicate expectations, feedback, and updates will define how your team functions. You can have the best processes in the world, but if your people don’t know what’s expected, why it matters, or how to do it, you’ll spend more time putting out fires than moving forward.
Let’s talk about communication that actually works—the kind that builds trust, clears up confusion, and keeps things running smoothly.
Communication Has Always Been My Thing… and My Challenge
I’m what you’d call an over-communicator. I repeat myself three times, check in, and then double-check understanding. I document the big picture. I build SOPs. But I also know my limits—I lean on detail people to catch what I miss.
I don’t pretend to be perfect, but I do make communication a priority. I use tools like Grammarly. I write it down. I ask questions. And when I mess up? I say so. Because the goal isn’t to talk the most—it’s to make sure people get it.
That mindset came from hard-earned experience—and a really eye-opening lesson from my project management certification at ODU in Norfolk. In one class, they showed us an old clip where a passenger tank was misinterpreted as a missile tank, causing massive cost overruns. We laughed—but it was a reminder that miscommunication kills projects.
They also shared the classic swing diagram: how different departments imagined the same tree swing based on their role. It was funny because it was true.
The bottom line? If communication fails, everything else will too.
Why Most Supervisors Struggle with Communication
It’s not because we don’t care.
Most new supervisors struggle with communication because they’re trying to:
Avoid sounding harsh
Be everyone’s friend
Keep things short and fast
Assume people understand what they mean
The truth is, what’s clear to you might be totally unclear to someone else. Everyone filters communication through their experience, personality, and preferences.
And when you don’t slow down to explain clearly, you leave gaps that cause frustration and failure.
The Cost of Poor Communication
Poor communication leads to:
Missed deadlines
Frustrated employees
Lost trust
Redoing work multiple times
Employee turnover
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), ineffective communication costs companies an average of $62.4 million per year in productivity losses (SHRM, 2022). That’s not just a big company problem. Even on a small team, one bad conversation can cause weeks of tension.
Generational & Role-Based Communication Gaps
Not everyone communicates the same way and it’s not just about personality. It’s about generation, training, and culture.
Younger workers might prefer text or visual instruction.
Older employees may expect detailed verbal direction or printed documents.
Some people need hands-on explanation.
Others want to read it, then ask questions.
Instead of guessing, talk about it. Ask:
"What’s the best way for you to understand new tasks? Want me to walk it with you, or would you rather read and follow?"
This isn’t coddling—it’s smart. It gets work done right, faster.
Also: be consistent. Don’t give instructions one way to one person and differently to another unless there’s a clear reason. It causes resentment and confusion.
How I Communicate Clearly as a Supervisor
Here are a few of the things I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way):
1. Say It. Write It. Repeat It.
I say it out loud. I follow up with an email or written instructions. I repeat it during check-ins.
People don’t always hear you the first time and that’s not their fault. Life is busy. People are tired. Clarity is kindness.
2. Ask “What Did You Hear?”
Instead of asking “Do you understand?” ask them to tell you what they’re going to do next.
You’ll quickly see whether they got the message or not.
3. Clarify the WHY
People do better when they know why something matters. Not every task is inspiring, but knowing the purpose gives it context.
Even saying: “We do this to keep our records clean in case of audit” gives people something to anchor to.
4. Check for Assumptions
Just because someone’s done the job before doesn’t mean they know your way of doing it. Assume nothing. Check everything. But do it with respect.
5. Create a Home for Every Message
Where do instructions live? Where are updates saved? Is it in a shared drive? In an email chain? On the wall?
If no one knows where to look, the message doesn’t exist. Set the standard—and stick to it.
Real-World Communication Scenarios
Here are a few examples of how poor communication shows up—and how to fix it:
Scenario 1: You ask someone to “take care of the setup.” They miss key steps.
Better: “Please make sure all chairs are set in rows, the screen is working, the mics are tested, and the water bottles are on the table.”
Scenario 2: You tell your team, “I need those reports ASAP.” They don’t respond.
Better: “Please send me your reports by 3 p.m. today so I can compile them for our 4 p.m. deadline.”
Scenario 3: You give a correction in front of others. The employee shuts down.
Better: Pull them aside and say, “I noticed a couple of steps were missed. Want to go over the checklist together before tomorrow’s shift?”
Communication is about connection—not just instruction.
What I Learned from Project Management Training
In my project management course, they didn’t skip over communication. It had its own chapter—and for good reason.
PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) dedicates an entire knowledge area to Project Communications Management. It’s not just about sending messages—it’s about choosing the right format, frequency, tone, and channels to ensure the right people get the right information at the right time (PMI, 2021).
If it matters in a multi-million-dollar project, it matters on your team too.
Quick Wins for Better Supervisor Communication
Start each shift or workday with a 3-minute team check-in
Keep instructions written and verbal
Don’t assume silence = understanding
Ask for feedback on how you communicate
Review your SOPs every quarter with the team
When in doubt, over-communicate
Communication Builds Culture
How you communicate sets the tone for how your team works. Do they feel safe to ask questions? Are mistakes seen as learning or failure? Do people know how to reach you?
You don’t have to be a perfect speaker or a master writer. But if you care about clarity, consistency, and respect—you’ll stand out as a supervisor who actually gets it.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If communication is something you’re still figuring out—or if you’re trying to clean up a misunderstanding or rebuild team trust—we’ve got tools to help.
Neighbor Chat is great for quick advice or just talking it through with someone who gets it
Next Step Services offers coaching that can help you build your own communication strategy
Join a group to learn from others working on leadership and communication in real time
Don’t let miscommunication mess up your leadership. Let’s get clear—together.
References
PMI. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. Project Management Institute.
SHRM. (2022). The High Cost of Poor Communication. https://www.shrm.org
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