Leading Insights for a Changing World
Organizational Background
ABC Manufacturing is a midsized company that produces industrial equipment for commercial clients. The organization recently adopted a faster product development cycle to stay competitive. This shift has increased pressure on cross-departmental teams, especially Operations, Marketing, and Data Analytics, whose work must align precisely to keep projects on schedule.
Within the Operations Division, one of the company’s priority projects has begun to slip behind schedule. Two team members, Tom, a process analyst, and Britney, a data specialist, have been increasingly frustrated with each other. Their tension has become noticeable in meetings, where misunderstandings and short comments have replaced collaboration.
Their manager, Sam, recognizes that the conflict is affecting both morale and performance. Instead of issuing directives or reprimands, Sam uses the CLEAR Communication Model to clarify the situation, reduce tension, and rebuild trust.
Sam invites Tom and Britney into a small conference room away from the noisy production floor. He intentionally chooses a neutral space to reduce defensiveness. He sits down with a calm posture and begins the conversation:
“Thanks for meeting with me. Our project is behind, and I want us to understand what’s getting in the way so we can fix it together. This isn’t about blame; this is about solving the problem.”
He continues in a more conversational tone:
“I know the last few weeks have been rough. We’ve had shifting deadlines, and everyone’s juggling a lot. I want this to be a space where we slow down and talk honestly. You both bring important skills to this team, and I want to make sure you feel comfortable speaking openly.”
Britney shifts in her chair, clearly tense. Tom crosses his arms, signaling frustration. Sam notices and adds:
“I’m not here to pick sides. I’m here to help us get unstuck and move forward.”
Why CONNECT matters: People often stay quiet because past conversations punished honesty. CONNECT resets the tone and signals that the conversation is safe and purposeful.
Sam leans forward slightly and asks:
“Help me understand what’s happening from your point of view. What’s making this project difficult?”
Britney speaks first:
“Honestly, I’m waiting on data from the marketing team every week. It comes late or incomplete, and I spend hours fixing it. By the time I get it cleaned up, I’m already behind on my part of the analysis. It feels like I’m constantly playing catch-up.”
Tom looks surprised:
“I didn’t know that. I thought the delay was in the analysis step. I figured maybe the workload was too heavy or something wasn’t prioritized right.”
Sam asks clarifying questions:
“When did this start? How often is the data incomplete? Have you talked to marketing about it?”
Britney explains that the issue has been happening for months, but she didn’t escalate it because
she didn’t want to seem negative or difficult.
Tom adds:
“I’ve been assuming the bottleneck was on our side. I didn’t realize the upstream data was the real issue.”
Why LEARN matters: This step reveals the real issue: upstream data problems—not poor time
management or lack of effort. Without LEARN, the conversation would have stayed stuck in assumptions.
Sam shifts the conversation:
“What options do we have to fix this? Let’s think through them.”
The room’s tone softens as they begin brainstorming.
Tom suggests:
“What if we set an earlier data deadline? If marketing knows we need it sooner, maybe they’ll adjust their workflow.”
Britney adds:
“We could escalate missing data instead of silently fixing it. I’ve been doing the cleanup myself because I didn’t want to bother anyone.”
Sam writes ideas on the whiteboard:
As they talk, Britney hesitates, then admits:
“I didn’t escalate missing data because last time it was dismissed as complaining.”
Sam pauses, realizing the impact of his past reaction.
“I may have unintentionally discouraged you from raising issues. Thank you for telling me.”
He adds:
“I appreciate your honesty. I want you to feel comfortable speaking up. If something is blocking your work, I need to know.”
Why EXPLORE matters: EXPLORE is where humility and self awareness show up. It allows new information to reshape the plan.
Sam transitions the conversation:
“Okay, we’ve talked through a lot of options. Let’s turn this into a clear plan, so everyone knows exactly what’s happening next.”
Together, they agree on the following:
Sam clarifies:
“I’ll talk to the marketing manager today. Britney, when you escalate, just send me a quick message so I can follow up. Tom, your Friday check-ins don’t need to be long—just a quick sync to make sure nothing is slipping.”
Why AGREE matters: This step prevents “apparent agreement” when people use the same words but mean different things. AGREE creates commitments that guide behavior.
Sam closes the meeting:
“Let’s recap: Marketing delivers data by Wednesday. Britney escalates gaps immediately. I’ll address them with the manager. You two will meet Friday to check progress. We’ll review this again next week.”
Britney responds:
“That’s clear. I can do that.”
Tom nods:
“This feels a lot better. I think we can get back on track.”
Sam ends with:
“Great. I appreciate you both being open today. Let’s treat this as a reset and move forward together.”
Why RECAP matters: Recaps prevent misunderstandings and teach that commitments matter. It turns communication into coordinated action.
CONNECT: “We’re here to solve this together.” LEARN: “Help me understand what’s really happening.” EXPLORE: “Let’s look at our options.” AGREE: “Here’s what each of us will do.” RECAP: “Let’s restate the plan and how we’ll follow up.”
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Good coaching depends on more than asking thoughtful questions. It requires a conversation in
which both people understand what is being explored, why it matters, and what should happen
next. The CLEAR Communication Model offers coaches and leaders a practical way to create
that understanding.
Baseball appears to pause between pitches. In reality, those pauses are filled with
communication.
The catcher lowers a hand between their knees. The pitcher nods, shakes their head, or steps off
the rubber. An infielder moves two steps toward second base. A coach touches an arm. A runner
extends a lead. The umpire settles into position behind the plate.
No words have been exchanged, yet nearly everyone has communicated something.
Baseball is often described through its visible actions: the pitch, the swing, the catch, the throw, and
the run. Underneath those actions is an extensive communication system connecting players,
coaches, umpires, fans, and even opponents. Some messages are intentionally sent. Others are
conveyed through posture, timing, movement, and reaction. Some must be understood immediately.
Others are deliberately concealed.
A baseball game is a conversation conducted largely without sentences.
Our first edition explored Understanding. This edition turns to Communication: how leaders
share ideas, invite perspectives, and coordinate action with others.
Communication is easy to mistake for a message sent. A leader announces a decision, explains
a plan, or asks for input and assumes the exchange is complete. Yet every conversation also
carries signals through timing, tone, body language, and context. People notice who is invited
to speak, which questions receive attention, and whether disagreement is genuinely welcome.
This makes communication a continuing leadership practice. It calls for clear expression,
careful listening, and the willingness to adjust as a conversation unfolds. Even a well-prepared
message can lead somewhere unexpected when others bring their experience and concerns
into the room.
Leading Insights for a Changing World
One email when a new issue publishes. No spam, no daily noise — just the monthly issue and the occasional important update.
Leading Insights for a Changing World
One email when a new issue publishes. No spam, no daily noise — just the monthly issue and the occasional important update.
