No matter the environment, when teams miss the mark, we want to find someone to blame. Perhaps priorities are misunderstood, execution falters, or people seem disengaged. And it’s easy to blame the team.
But at Echelon Front, we believe there are no bad teams, only bad leaders.
Communication is at the top of the list of common leadership failures we see in organizations. This is why understanding how to improve communication within your team is essential for success. It has little to do with a lack of resources or skill development; the problem often lies in a lack of alignment and failure to communicate effectively.
Communication is hard because it isn’t just about sending information or making sure everyone got the message. It’s about ensuring everyone understands the mission, the plan, and the intent behind both. That’s the foundation of Jocko Willink’s Ladder of Alignment.
When communication is done effectively, up, down, and across the chain of command, teams don’t just hear the plan. They understand it. They can take ownership and execute it with confidence and speed.
So what does that look like? Here’s how to build that kind of communication inside your team.
Step 1: Start with the Big Picture
In order for people to execute, they have to understand the vision, mission, and values, which are the highest rungs on the ladder of alignment. That means everyone on the team, from the individual contributor to the middle manager up to the executive level, knows the strategic goal we are all working towards. This vision, mission, and values are the pathway to achieving success.
The Vision is what we want our organization to be. The Mission is what we do. The Values are how we conduct ourselves to achieve the mission. Only when the team understands and is aligned around these rungs and the strategic goal can they work to achieve it.
If your team doesn’t understand these three guiding principles, they’ll make decisions based on incomplete or incorrect assumptions. A misalignment here can cause friction everywhere.
As a leader, your job is to bridge the gap between high-level intent and day-to-day execution. Before you ask how to improve team communication skills, you need to ask yourself a few important questions first, then communicate them with the team:
- What’s the bigger picture?
- Why are we doing this?
- How does this task/assignment/project contribute to the mission?
Step 2: Keep It Simple
Once the strategy is clear, you have to simplify it. As a leader, you must communicate your intentions so people can execute their plans.
Often, leaders assume that their team understands without checking to ensure they have communicated the message effectively. They issue instructions that are never executed. They lay out plans that are complicated and confusing. They assume everyone interprets what they say the same way. They think saying it once is enough.
And time and time again, it is proven that’s not enough, and assumptions impede progress.
Effective leaders simplify the message. They speak in clear, concise terms that everyone can understand. They define success and explain what’s most important. Then, they ask the team for a readback to ensure they communicated effectively, so the team understands and is aligned on what they need to do. This is a fundamental practice in learning how to improve communication within a team.]
Leaders know you can’t afford to be vague or complicated. Misunderstanding will slow progress, cause frustration, and can create misalignment because the team is not clear on the desired outcome or their role in it.
Reiterating the vision, mission, and values keeps the team on track or gets them back to operating effectively. It’s also a key tactic when thinking about how to improve communication within your team. You must be intentional about creating this clarity. It is up to the leader to recognize how often and when to communicate this message so that alignment is maintained within the team.
Step 3: Empower Decentralized Command
Once your team understands the strategic objective and the mission, they need room to execute. That requires trust and an understanding of why they are doing what they are doing. If people understand the mission and their role in it, they can make decisions that are in the best interest of the organization.
At times, though, we see business leaders with a tendency to micromanage. Micromanagers tell the team what to do and how to do it, and keep track of every step of the way. Leaders who micromanage communication are eroding trust with the team and creating bottlenecks. They force all decisions through one person and slow everything down, not to mention plummeting morale.
A more effective approach is to ensure everyone understands the priorities, not just of the team or department, but of the entire organization. An effective team understands the why behind an assigned project and the impact their work has on the mission. If problems or disagreements arise as the team discusses how to accomplish a task, a good leader will utilize the ladder of alignment to get the team back on track. Recognizing and communicating the bigger picture – vision, mission, values – helps the team understand what to focus on and allows them to troubleshoot at their level when problems arise.
When the team knows the mission, understands the priorities, and sees how their actions fit into the broader picture, they can communicate laterally and adapt without needing constant direction. You need to understand how to improve team communication skills and foster trust through transparency.
High-performing teams move fast because they’re aligned. They’ve developed a clear understanding of how to improve communication within a team by using simple, effective practices. They communicate consistently, simply, and are grounded in intent so they can focus on achieving the organization’s mission.
Step 4: Communicate Up the Chain
Leaders often focus on giving direction, issuing orders, and sharing priorities. But the best leaders recognize that the Ladder of Alignment works both ways.
These leaders also understand the importance of listening to their team. Their insights, perspectives, and feedback are invaluable.
The skill of listening is incredibly important as a leader. It requires humility and a desire to hear other perspectives and opinions. You can start by asking yourself simple questions:
Are my subordinates giving feedback?
Are they surfacing problems?
Are they raising concerns early, or waiting until the issue explodes?
If the answers to these questions are no, the next step is to take ownership and regroup.
It is the responsibility of the leaders to create a culture where communication up the chain is expected and welcomed. That means:
- Developing strong relationships with team members
- Seeking feedback
- Listening to understand and gain perspective (without ego)
- Putting the feedback into action
When you listen well, your people will speak up and share more. When your people feel comfortable raising concerns and expressing hesitations, you become aware of problems earlier. When you see problems earlier, you can solve them before they escalate.
That’s leadership.
Q: How can I encourage my team members to share their ideas and give honest feedback?
A: Part of how to improve team communication skills involves encouraging upward communication and feedback. When starting a project or debrief, ask the junior team members for their input. Create a space where ideas are not only welcomed but also incorporated. If a team member has a genuine concern, make sure it’s not dismissed but addressed by creating an action plan. Then, follow up to address their point. This not only helps the individual feel more included in the conversation but also signals the culture of collaboration to the team.
Step 5: Constantly Check Alignment
The Ladder of Alignment isn’t something you climb once and forget. It’s something you revisit constantly.
Because priorities change. Conditions shift. People forget.
This is at the core of how to improve communication within a team and maintain strategic focus. Your job as a leader is to ensure the team stays aligned through it all:
- Reiterate the mission on a regular basis.
- Re-explain intent when priorities shift.
- Reconnect individual tasks to the strategic outcome.
Alignment isn’t a one-time event. It requires communication, effort, and discipline.
If your team is confused, unfocused, or working at odds, a leader must resist the urge to think, “What’s wrong with them?” Instead, ask yourself, “Where did I fail to align them?”
Every Problem Is a Leadership Problem
At Echelon Front, we believe every problem is a leadership problem.
And miscommunication is a problem rooted in leadership because it’s a fundamental part of influencing and motivating any team to achieve a common goal.
If people don’t understand, that’s not on them. It’s on the person trying to communicate and speak to them as a leader. That’s why leaders must learn how to improve communication within a team through consistent clarity and alignment. There is only one measure of communication: effective or ineffective. As a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure you communicate in a way that people understand so they can execute actions that will positively impact the mission.
If disagreements arise due to miscommunication, that’s an indicator of a fracture in alignment. This means you have to go back to the ladder and identify where you were unclear about the vision, mission, and values.
Communication issues aren’t fixed by downloading an app, sending more emails, or calling more meetings. You fix them by owning the problem. Leading with clarity and using the Ladder of Alignment to drive strategic understanding at every level.
Q: How do I know if my communication is effective?
A: Your communication is only effective if the other person understands. To ensure that they do, ask for a Readback. After presenting an important point or idea, ask an individual, “Could you read back what you heard, so I can ensure I communicated and covered all the priorities?” This communication tool isn’t to test if they’re listening, but you conveyed all the information in a way that they understand.
Final Thought: Lead the Communication Standard
The standard of communication is set by the leader.
If you want your team to communicate with clarity, confidence, and alignment, model how to improve communication within a team.
- Explain your intent.
- Simplify the message.
- Check for understanding.
- Listen actively.
- Align daily.
Communication is a skill that any leader can get better at and use to set a strong example for the team. It’s a powerful tool that leaders need to implement to improve coordination, alignment, and teamwork. If you’re aiming to lead effectively, it’s crucial to master how to improve communication within a team.
