1. A Look Behind the Scenes
As an executive search consultant, I have the privilege of gaining insights into many organizations. I support companies in recruiting processes, lead workshops on leadership, values, and personality diagnostics, and regularly speak with executives, people teams, and candidates.
What I see is often encouraging – and sometimes sobering. Across industries, company sizes, and cultures, the same core challenges emerge time and again. I encounter three key issues in almost every organization:
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Communication – too little, too late, too vague
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Accountability – who does what, and what falls through the cracks?
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Delegation vs. Micromanagement – trust or control?
Today, let’s talk about the first – and perhaps most fundamental – of these topics.
2. The Communication Dilemma
In nearly every organization, the same dynamic plays out: employees want early, comprehensive communication.
Often out of legitimate interest – because changes directly affect their work. But also from a natural desire to understand what’s happening in the company, especially when it comes to personnel changes, structural shifts, or strategic decisions. And sometimes, simply out of curiosity.
Leadership, on the other hand, tends to communicate only when decisions are finalized, coordinated, and risk-free. The rationale is understandable: leaders want to convey certainty, avoid fueling speculation, and avoid having to answer difficult questions with incomplete answers.
A CEO once put it like this:
“Many people find many things interesting – but few are actually relevant.”
At first glance, this may sound pragmatic. But in practice, it often has the opposite effect: it diminishes employees, suggesting they should only receive what leadership deems relevant for them.
3. When Others Fill the Communication Void
So what happens when communication is delayed – or doesn’t happen at all?
The rumor mill kicks in.
Gossip, half-truths, the corporate grapevine – these quickly fill the void left by the official narrative. And in many companies, they become the fastest and most reliable information channel – unfortunately.
The consequences? Uncertainty, erosion of trust, friction in projects. And not rarely, decisions are misunderstood or miscommunicated – because the context is missing.
4. My Leadership Principle
During my time as a manager in larger organizations, I adopted a simple but powerful rule:
As early as possible. As transparent as possible. As comprehensive as necessary.
In my view, there’s nothing wrong with openly communicating interim steps.
Example: “The executive team is currently discussing whether we should…”
This builds trust, disarms rumors, and enables teams to prepare early for potential changes.
5. My recommendation:
If you hold responsibility within an organization, ask yourself:
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Where are we still communicating tactically, instead of openly?
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What could employees already know – even if not everything is fully decided?
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Which rumors could be defused with a single sentence in the next team meeting?
And if you’re part of the leadership team:
Make communication a leadership task – not a routine function of people operations or corporate comms.
