Have you ever sent a message at work and thought nothing of it…
but later realised it didn’t land the way you expected?
Maybe someone became a little quieter afterwards.
Maybe a meeting felt slightly different.
Maybe people stopped being quite as open as they used to be.
Nothing dramatic happens.
No one complains.
No one escalates anything.
No one tells you that trust has been affected.
But over time, something changes.
People become more cautious.
More filtered.
Less willing to challenge ideas.
Or less willing to be completely honest with you.
And that's the thing about trust in the workplace.
It rarely disappears because of one major mistake.
More often, it's damaged through small communication habits that seem harmless in the moment.
Habits that many capable professionals and leaders don't even realise they're using.
In today's episode, which starts Season 12, we're going to explore some of the most common leadership communication mistakes that quietly damage trust, influence and credibility at work.
Because whether you're leading a team, preparing for your next promotion, or simply looking to strengthen your professional reputation, communication plays a much bigger role in career success than most people realise.
Hello and welcome back to Your Path to Career Success, the podcast that helps you build the skills, confidence and strategies to thrive in your career.
I’m your host, Kathryn.
This podcast is here to help you navigate the real world of work, not just the job titles and promotions, but everything in between. From figuring out your next career move, to stepping into leadership for the first time, to rebuilding confidence after setbacks, we’ll cover the moments that actually shape your career.
Think of it as a mix of practical advice, honest conversations and real stories from people who’ve been there. Each episode is designed to give you insights you can actually use — not theory, not fluff, but things you can take into your working life straight away.
And most importantly, it’s a space where we make sense of the messy bits together, because career growth is rarely a straight line.
So grab your coffee or tea, hit play and let’s make your career journey a bit less scary and a lot more fun.
Today we'll look at why communication is often misunderstood, how trust is strengthened or weakened through everyday interactions and what you can do to become more intentional about the experience you create for others.
Part 1 – Communication mistake #1: Assuming clarity equals understanding
One of the biggest communication mistakes people make is assuming that because they've explained something clearly, it has been understood clearly.
But communication doesn't end when we send a message.
It ends when the other person interprets it.
And those are not always the same thing.
Most careers reward speed.
Being responsive.
Being decisive.
Being efficient.
So naturally, many people start treating communication as a task to complete rather than an experience to create.
You send the update.
Reply to the email.
Give the feedback.
Move on.
But trust is often built or damaged in the gap between what you intended and what someone actually experienced.
A useful question to ask before sending an important message is:
"What will this feel like on the other side?"
Not just:
"What will this mean?"
This is one of the reasons I often say that leadership is not about you. It's not about how clearly you believe you've communicated. It's about the experience other people have when they receive that communication.
The most effective leaders shift their focus away from what they want to say and towards what others need to hear, understand and act upon.
Part 2 – Communication mistake #2: Believing intention matters more than impact
This is where communication becomes more complex.
Because people don't receive messages neutrally.
They receive them through their own experiences, pressures and communication preferences.
A direct communicator may believe they're simply being efficient.
Someone else may experience that same message as abrupt.
An enthusiastic communicator may think they're generating excitement.
Others may leave the meeting unsure about priorities.
A highly detailed communicator may believe they're creating clarity.
Others may feel overwhelmed by information.
The mistake isn't having a communication style.
The mistake is assuming everyone experiences it in the same way you do.
This is where emotional intelligence becomes so important.
Emotional intelligence isn't simply about being nice or empathetic. It's about recognising that different people process information differently and adjusting your communication accordingly.
The higher you progress in your career, the more important that adaptability becomes.
The most effective professionals understand that communication isn't just about being clear.
It's about being received clearly.
That's why small adjustments matter.
If you're naturally direct, add intent.
If you're naturally expressive, add structure.
If you're naturally detailed, lead with the headline.
These aren't communication tricks.
They're trust-building habits.
Because they help people understand not only what you're saying, but what you mean by it.
Part 3 – Communication mistake #3: Prioritising speed over alignment
As your career develops, communication starts carrying more weight.
Early in your career, people focus mainly on your work.
Later, they begin paying attention to how you communicate.
And this is where executive presence starts to become important.
Executive presence isn't about having the loudest voice in the room. It's about creating confidence through the way you communicate, particularly when situations are uncertain.
People are constantly assessing whether your communication creates clarity, alignment and confidence.
Because communication starts shaping confidence in your judgement, decision-making and leadership potential.
This is where many people unknowingly continue operating in speed mode.
They focus on responding quickly rather than creating alignment.
But people aren't only listening to your words.
They're interpreting what sits behind them.
They wonder:
• Is this urgent?
• Are we aligned?
• Is there a problem?
• Should I be concerned?
A powerful question to ask yourself is:
"Am I communicating for speed, or am I communicating for alignment?"
Because speed gets messages sent.
Alignment gets messages understood.
And understanding is what builds trust.
Part 4 – Communication mistake #4: Creating environments where people stop speaking honestly
One of the clearest signs that trust is declining isn't conflict.
It's silence.
People stop sharing ideas early.
They become more cautious.
They contribute less openly.
They wait until they're certain before speaking.
On the surface, everything still looks fine.
Work gets completed.
Meetings continue.
Deadlines are met.
But curiosity starts disappearing.
And that's often because people no longer feel fully comfortable expressing uncertainty.
Many leaders unintentionally contribute to this by asking:
"Any questions?"
When what they really need to ask is:
• What's unclear here?
• What concerns do you have?
• Where might this not work in practice?
• What would you challenge if you were in my position?
Those questions create permission.
And permission creates honesty.
Without it, communication often becomes polite rather than productive.
Part 5 – Why this matters for career progression
One of the biggest misconceptions about career progression is that advancement is primarily about output.
Doing more.
Working harder.
Proving capability.
Those things matter.
But as responsibility increases, communication credibility becomes equally important.
People pay attention to:
• how consistently you communicate
• how you handle uncertainty
• how you communicate under pressure
• whether your actions and messages align
Three shifts can make a significant difference.
First, stop assuming understanding and start checking interpretation.
Second, pay attention to behaviour rather than relying solely on verbal feedback.
Third, remain consistent when situations become uncertain.
People don't just follow clarity.
They follow consistency.
And consistency builds trust.
And in many organisations, trust becomes the deciding factor between being seen as capable and being seen as ready for greater responsibility.
Part 6 – Bringing it back to your career
If you take one thing away from today's episode, let it be this:
Most communication problems don't come from what we say.
They come from what people experience when we say it.
And that experience shapes trust.
It shapes credibility.
It shapes influence.
And ultimately, it shapes career opportunities.
So here's a question to take into your week:
Where am I communicating for efficiency when what's really needed is alignment?
Because the difference between being understood and being followed often lives in that answer.
And speaking of understanding people...
Coming up next week...
We're going to explore one of the most practical tools for understanding yourself and the people you work with which is DISC.
We'll look at why some people are naturally direct while others are more cautious, why certain communication styles create instant connection while others create friction, and how understanding these differences can dramatically improve workplace relationships.
In fact, understanding behavioural style forms part of the first stage of my Career Agility Programme, which is available to organisations looking to develop greater self-awareness, communication effectiveness and leadership capability within their teams.
Using DISC alongside guided reflection, participants explore how they naturally show up at work, the strengths they rely on, and the gap that can sometimes exist between intention, communication and reputation.
It's practical insight that helps people communicate more effectively, build stronger professional relationships, and better understand the impact they have on others.
We'll also explore the strengths each style brings, the blind spots that can hold people back, and how greater self-awareness can help you become more effective at work and in leadership.
Whether you're leading a team, managing stakeholders, or simply wanting to work better with colleagues, this episode will give you a practical framework for understanding how people show up at work, including yourself.
And if you're part of an organisation that would like to learn more about how the Career Agility Programme can support employee development, leadership capability and workplace communication, feel free to get in touch via the details in the episode notes.
Closing
I'm Kathryn, and this is Your Path to Career Success.
Remember, your career isn't shaped solely by what you intend to communicate.
It's shaped by what people actually experience when you communicate.
Great leadership, emotional intelligence and executive presence all begin with understanding that difference.
And that difference quietly influences everything that follows.
Thank you for listening, and I'll see you next time.
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