Russ Powell Consulting

"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place." –George Bernard Shaw

I first heard this profound quote from Edward Tufte during his *Presenting Data and Information* workshop a few years ago. It immediately resonated with me. As business leaders, we've all experienced situations where we thought we communicated something clearly, only to later discover that the message wasn't received as intended.

I recently asked a colleague to complete a task, and despite thinking that I had given clear instructions, he didn't start until I followed up. Even then, the end result differed from my expectations. This led to a second, unplanned conversation to get aligned. Sound familiar? How often have you heard (or said) things like "Well, I *told* her!" or "He should know. I said it quite clearly."

The truth is, just because we say something doesn't mean we've communicated effectively. Especially in fast-paced environments like startups, it's all too easy to assume shared understanding when there is none.

So what can we do to avoid the illusion of communication? A few tactics I recommend:

1. Use the "reverse confirm" — Ask the other person to repeat back their understanding of the task and expectations before agreeing to take it on.

2. When delegating, explicitly discuss expected outputs, requirements (must-haves) and nice-to-haves. Don't assume anything is obvious.

3. Provide context — Instead of simply assigning tasks, explain how they fit into the bigger picture. Understanding the "why" can prevent misinterpretations and yield better results.

4. Seek feedback — After delegating, ask questions like "What additional information do you need?" or "What potential roadblocks do you foresee?" This can uncover any lingering confusion.

These simple steps can save hours of lost productivity and frustration.

If you're a startup leader or manager looking to level up your team's communication skills, let's connect. I'd love to hear more about where you're experiencing communication gaps and explore more actionable strategies to make sure your message is coming through loud and clear.

https://www.russpowell.com/