Communication in Leadership: 5 Mistakes Leaders Make (and How to Fix Them)

Leadership isn’t just about direction. Fight for clarity, credibility, and communication.

As a creative brand strategist and communication coach, I work with leaders who are brilliant visionaries, but even the best can get tripped up by common communication pitfalls.

You know communication is part of the job. But is yours working against you?

Let’s break down five communication challenges that weaken leadership. Don’t worry, there are strategies you can implement this week to fix them.

1. Playing It Too Safe

Trying to keep everyone happy is the fastest way to lose your direction.

Many leaders default to “safe” communication, watering down their messaging to avoid pushback. But vague, people-pleasing leadership doesn’t unify—it divides.

🔻 What goes wrong:

• Lack of clarity confuses. When leaders aren’t direct, team members fill in the gaps. Then, everyone moves in different directions.

• Safe communication doesn’t inspire. Your team honestly forgets and slips into default decisions. Gaining new ground is never done accidentally or in default mode.

• Leaders lose credibility when they seem hesitant or unsure. Your team will stop looking to you for direction if you’ve never been a source for it.

• You miss opportunities to ignite passion and loyalty within your team. The top talent will leave and find an organization that gives them something to pursue passionately.

  
  

  

  
  

🔑 Try this: Make your vision big and memorable. Speak clearly. Be bold. The right people will follow.

2. Assuming Everyone's on the Same Page

You may live and breathe your mission, but your team doesn’t… until you lead them there.

It’s easy to forget that employees experience the business differently from owners. While you’re deeply invested in the vision, your staff is likely focused on their day-to-day responsibilities or tasks. 

🔻 What goes wrong:

• Staff have different stakes and levels of buy-in. Going through the motions will impact your client experience. Two people doing the same task- one with an understanding of a greater purpose and one checking boxes- will have vastly different impacts on the business.

• Daily tasks distract from the broader mission. They must be done, but not at the cost of the mission. When staff are only aware of the tasks, the tasks become the mission, and value is lost.

• Lack of repeated communication leads to misinterpretation. A person has to hear something seven times before they can begin to learn it.

• Without context, people create their own version of the vision. People are emotional beings. We will assign a why to every task. Without direction, each staff member's why will be different.

  
  

🔑 Try this: Communicate more than you think is necessary. Repeat the goals. Clarify expectations. Check for understanding—not just compliance. Connect tasks to your mission.

3. Not Giving Communication Enough Time

Launching a vision is like planting a seed. Give yours time to grow.

Too many leaders jump from one idea to the next, never giving a strategy time to take root. It’s not that the vision was wrong; it just didn’t get a chance.

🔻 What goes wrong:

• Strategies get abandoned too quickly. Your data is skewed. You think something failed that wasn’t given the proper time and attention.

• Teams lose trust when direction changes frequently. Eventually, staff will start ignoring the “next big thing” altogether. They can’t keep investing energy if it is going to disappear.

• Investments in time and energy are wasted. You pay people for work that never has the chance to be successful because you abandon it too quickly.

  
  

🔑 Try this: Be patient. Keep communicating. Repetition builds alignment, and alignment builds momentum. Don’t give up too soon. Vary the communication. Speak one-on-one to the most influential members of your team. Ask them to speak to those under them. 

4. Forgetting Nonverbal Communication

What you do speaks louder than what you say.

Leadership involves constantly communicating, even when one is not speaking. Actions, policies, and culture say just as much as words (if not more).

🔻 What goes wrong:

• Mixed messages create distrust. Staff watch for authenticity. When your actions don’t align, they notice. Too often, organizations end up with two opposing narratives: the “What we say” narrative and the “What we do” narrative. Your staff is aware of both, and they should align.

• Missed opportunities to reinforce values and mission. If your vision is worth discussing, it is also worth interrupting your day to correct.

  
  

  

  
  

🔑 Try this: Audit your actions. Does your team’s daily rhythm reflect your stated goals? Align your behavior and systems with your message. Are there individuals or policies that aren’t aligned and need immediate attention?

5. Being Too Positive

Optimism without honesty is just noise.

It can be tempting to paint the rosiest picture possible, especially when morale is low. But overly generous assessments can alienate your team and stall growth.

🔻 What goes wrong:

• Unrealistic positivity damages credibility. You want staff to follow you. Would you follow someone who doesn’t seem to have an accurate understanding? Your staff will not either.

• Real issues remain unaddressed. Remember, you’re at the top. The thing you ignore is much more in the face of your staff. They know it is a problem, and they see you ignoring it. Oftentimes, these issues impede a staff member's progress. They will not take your directives seriously when you allow a problem that impacts that directive to remain.

• Teams can’t improve what leaders won’t name. Even if they try, there will be no unity or alignment. Most will not try because it feels risky to acknowledge what the leaders will not.

  
  

🔑 Try this: Offer a balanced view. Be honest about where things stand and straightforward about areas you will improve. Trust is built on transparency. Give direction publicly and redirection privately. 

Communication in Leadership: Your Brand's Hidden Power

These communication problems weaken your leadership and water down your brand. Every message you send, whether verbal or nonverbal, shapes how people experience your leadership and your organization.

When communication is weak:

• Your vision gets lost.

• Your team gets confused.

• Your brand feels disjointed.

  
  

When communication is clear:

• Alignment increases.

• Trust builds.

• Your brand becomes powerful, engaging, and cohesive.

Ready to Lead with Clarity?

At Reify, we help frustrated leaders go from overwhelmed and isolated to confident and aligned—through messaging, brand development, and communication strategy.

Want to improve your internal communication and external brand? Book a Fit Call and let’s find out what’s holding you back.

Lindsey Cannon is the owner and Communication and Brand coach at Reify Copywriting.

She is on a mission to continuously ask, WHAT IF... because most things are possible, and the world needs more creative solutions.

She loves to meet hardworking business owners and help them elevate their communication and brand. Book a Fit Call with Reify to see how she can help you.