Communication is often cited as a critical leadership skill, but in practice, it can be one of the most underrated traits. It's easy to assume that people will know what's going on or that things will just "work out," but time and time again, I've seen how crucial communication is for success-both within a team and with the stakeholders and teams around you.

Within your team, clear communication is essential for alignment and collaboration. Your team needs to know where they're heading, what the expectations are, and what obstacles they may face. Without that clarity, the chance of misalignment grows, and so does the risk of failure. Whether it's daily standups, quick updates, or sharing decisions and reasoning behind them, you can't underestimate how much communication impacts a team's ability to succeed.

But as important as internal communication is, it's equally important to communicate beyond your team. Rarely does any team, especially in consulting, operate in isolation. We're almost always relying on other teams or stakeholders-whether it's business leaders giving requirements that shape the software, infrastructure and admin teams laying the foundation, or other technical teams providing support. How many times have you heard complaints like, "We really wish we had better communication with team X," or, "Upper management was upset because they had no idea what was happening on our side"?

Balancing Transparency and Trust

In consulting, you sometimes need to be very careful with how transparent you are. While I always prefer to be more transparent, I've found that some people may overreact to certain details you share. Communication is not just about relaying information-it's about how that information is relayed.

Here's an example from one of my first large agile projects: I had two teams. One was highly familiar with the solution, having been part of an earlier phase of work, and they were building out key enhancements. The other team was new to both the client and the solution, coming in blind to the codebase. Naturally, I expected the newer team's velocity to lag behind for several sprints as they got acclimated. In agile, every team has its own unique velocity because of differences in experience, team composition, and the nature of the work. It's normal for these velocities to vary-even between two teams with similar experience-due to factors like riskier tasks or unexpected challenges that surface mid-sprint.

In an attempt to be transparent, I shared the velocity figures for both teams. The stakeholders, however, were new to agile and jumped to the conclusion that the newer team was failing. Based on just two weeks of data in a ten-month engagement, they assumed the project was headed for failure. This was a clear example of sharing too much detail too soon. While transparency is important, that level of granularity only caused confusion. The key is in finding the balance between providing enough information for trust and clarity, without overwhelming people with details that may lead to unnecessary concern.

By the next week, I had refined my communication, focusing on the bigger picture and progress rather than granular data. Some stakeholders still felt I was "hiding details," but I explained that I was highlighting the most relevant information, and they were welcome to explore the day-to-day activities if they wanted-though I cautioned it might not be the best use of their time. Thankfully, key stakeholders gave me the benefit of the doubt, and the project ultimately became one of the most successful in my history. It was a massive project for me-estimated at over $1 million, with 40+ team members across three development tracks. Not only did we deliver ahead of schedule by a week, but we also added scope that provided even more value than originally planned. By any definition, it was a great success, but the key to getting there was learning how to refine my communication.

The Two Sides of Communication: Speaking and Listening

When we talk about communication, we often think about sharing information, but there's another side that's just as critical-listening. It's not enough to simply inform others of what your team is doing; you also need to ensure that others feel heard. This could mean making space for questions from stakeholders, checking in with supporting teams, or understanding the feedback your own team members are giving. Strong communication isn't just about telling; it's about facilitating an open dialogue where everyone feels they have a voice.

The same applies to inter-team communication. At one point, I had two teams with differing velocities, and some of the less experienced team members began to worry, asking questions like, "Are we failing?" and "What's wrong with us?" This wasn't just a case of sharing the right information-it was about listening to their concerns. I had to create space for them to voice their worries and ensure they felt heard. By listening carefully, I was able to reassure them that differences in velocity were expected and that their performance wasn't the issue. I framed the conversation to help them understand that it wasn't about failing or succeeding-it was about the nature of their work and the team's relative familiarity with the codebase.

Later in the project, when the more experienced team saw their velocity lag behind due to riskier, more complex tasks, the same listening skills came into play. Meanwhile, the newer team, now ramped up, had higher velocity because their tasks were more isolated and less risky. Again, it wasn't enough to just share this information-I needed to listen to their perspectives, make sure they felt supported, and help them understand the bigger picture. Listening ensured that no one felt unfairly judged or isolated in their performance, even when numbers fluctuated.

Listening is equally important when dealing with stakeholders. As the leader of the team, you become a buffer and a relay for information. What you hear from stakeholders must be communicated effectively to the team, and what you hear from your team needs to be relayed clearly to the stakeholders. It's not just about passing along facts-it's about ensuring that both sides feel heard, understand the context, and trust the decisions being made. In many ways, listening is the key to successful communication.

If stakeholders don't feel heard, or if their feedback comes too late in the process, it can cause frustration or derail a project. Similarly, if other teams you rely on aren't kept in the loop, it can lead to delays and inefficiencies. Good communication-both within teams and across them-helps build trust and prevents those unwanted surprises that can throw off an otherwise well-executed project.

Transparent Communication Leads to Success

Ultimately, a good leader ensures that communication is a two-way street. You need to speak up for your team, ensure everyone knows what's happening, and listen carefully to others. Without communication, even the best-laid plans can unravel.

In the consulting world, where so many factors are at play, good communication can make or break a project. It's about being clear, transparent, and open-both inside your team and with everyone who impacts your work. And it's about doing so with care, understanding how much information to share and when to share it, so that your stakeholders trust the picture you're painting without being overwhelmed.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Have you experienced the impact of good (or poor) communication on a project? Share your experiences in the comments below-let's discuss how communication shapes successful leadership.