Communication improves through specific practice, not just a decision to “communicate better.” Choose a situation you encounter regularly, identify what goes wrong and practise one change you can review.
The exercises below focus on listening, explanation, writing and follow-through at work. They are practice prompts, not a test of personality or a guarantee that every disagreement will disappear.
1. Check what you heard before offering an answer
In a suitable conversation, listen to the person’s explanation without preparing your rebuttal. Summarize the main point in your own words and ask whether you understood it correctly.
Try: “You need a decision about the delivery date because the current uncertainty is affecting staffing. Have I understood the main issue?” Then ask what you missed. A summary is an invitation to correct your interpretation, not a claim to know the other person’s feelings.
Review: Did the person confirm your understanding or identify an important difference?
2. Put the purpose in the first sentence
Take a message you need to send and write its purpose in one sentence: “I need your approval of the revised scope before we confirm the schedule.” Add only the context needed to make that decision.
Distinguish information, a request and a decision. If you need action, identify the owner and a realistic deadline. Explain any genuine urgency rather than marking everything urgent.
Review: Could a reader identify what you need without searching through the message?
3. Explain one complicated point in plain language
Choose a process or idea familiar to you but unfamiliar to a colleague. Explain its purpose, the main steps and a relevant example. Define necessary technical terms; do not remove an important qualification just to shorten the explanation.
Ask which part needs clarification. A simple diagram or short list may help when the relationship is difficult to describe, but decoration can add distraction.
Review: What did the listener need that you initially left out?
4. Turn a vague comment into specific feedback
Replace “Your updates are confusing” with an observation and a question: “The last update listed completed tasks but did not show the decision needed from me. Could we put that decision at the top?”
Keep the example accurate and relevant. Separate what happened from assumptions about attitude or intention. Invite the other person’s account, particularly when you may not have seen the whole situation.
Review: Is the requested change understandable and within the person’s control?
5. Rehearse a presentation for clarity
Practise a short section with a willing colleague. Ask them to identify the main point, any unsupported claim and the next step you requested. Use their questions to improve the structure.
Do not rely on fixed eye-contact intervals or interpretations of posture to judge attention. Preferences, cultures and access needs vary. Offer a usable written summary when appropriate and check understanding directly.
Review: Did your audience understand the point, rather than merely compliment the delivery?
6. Close the conversation with an agreed record
Before ending, summarize decisions, actions, owners and unresolved questions. Check that people agree with the record. Silence or a nod should not be treated as confirmation of a commitment.
A hypothetical project handoff might end with: “I will send the revised scope; you will confirm whether the dates are feasible; we have not yet approved additional work.” That is more useful than “Great, we’re aligned.”
Review: Did later work match the shared understanding, and what needed clarification?
Choose conditions that support the conversation
Consider timing, distractions, language and accessibility before a sensitive discussion. Ask about a suitable format rather than assuming an in-person meeting or video call is always best. If the conversation becomes unproductive, agree how and when to continue without ignoring urgent responsibilities.
Communication practice does not replace a formal process for serious complaints, safety concerns or other matters requiring specialist help.
Make practice manageable
Choose one exercise, use it in a relevant situation and reflect on the result. Feedback is information to examine, not a verdict on your worth. Look for clearer understanding and workable commitments rather than a promise of instant confidence.
For support examining your own workplace communication, book a free 15-minute fit call. You may also apply for two weeks of free coaching. Joel personally reviews applications; acceptance is not guaranteed.
