Miscommunication can be subtle.

A missed detail here. A half-clear handoff there. A decision that no one follows through on because everyone interpreted it differently.

Individually, they’re small. Collectively, they drain a team’s capacity and derail a project faster than any major crisis. And most leaders don’t catch it, because they’re busy filling the gaps themselves.

When people aren’t fully clear on what they’re doing and why it matters, they stop making confident decisions. They slow down. They escalate unnecessarily. And the work slides back onto the leader’s plate.

This is where alignment becomes a leadership skill, not just a communication tactic. 

Leaders who communicate for alignment do a few things differently.

They set expectations that are specific, not implied. They explain the “why” so people make better choices without checking in. They check for understanding instead of assuming it. And they reinforce priorities until they become second nature, not just stated once at an all-hands.

The outcome is simple but can be very powerful. People know what to do. They know why it matters. And they move without waiting for permission.

If you’re seeing small issues pile up, missed follow-through, or teams that look busy but aren’t moving the needle, don’t assume it’s a performance problem. Most of the time, it isn’t. It’s a leadership problem. It's an alignment problem.

The good news, alignment is teachable. Start small. Pick one initiative, one project, or one recurring responsibility. Identify the last moment something got lost in translation. Then walk it backward with your team. What was asked? What was heard? What was missing?

Rewrite the expectation together in one clear sentence and confirm ownership going forward. You can even turn the answers into a simple checklist or handoff step your team uses going forward.

Because you can’t be in every room, but alignment can be. When leaders invest in it, their influence reaches further than their presence ever could. They create alignment that removes friction, clarifies purpose, builds trust, and makes the whole team move with more confidence.