Back in the days of spin-doctoring, communication was more about covering your back and showing the organization in the best possible light, than genuinely telling people - including employees - about issues that mattered to them.

Many organizations took a “decide and tell” approach, where decisions were made behind closed doors and leaders then chose if, and when, to share any details with others.

The age of social media, when the world started to see deeply inside the walls of organizations, meant leaders had to come out from their cones of silence.

The last few years have conclusively blown apart any notion that leaders can control information while employees passively wait to be fed snippets of facts.

Communication from their employer has been a vital source for many people reeling because of Covid and other events. In such high-pressure circumstances, their senses are heightened to detect insincerity, misleading information or glossing over details.

A Microsoft 2022 survey found that “according to nearly all business decision makers (96%) and employees (95%), effective communication is among the most critical skills they’ll need in the year ahead. And communication will need to be authentic, not just informative.”

In a volatile economy, there may well be times this year when you’ll be called on to give your teams unwelcome news. This might involve job losses, a restructure or other significant changes. It’s important to give it to them straight, without sugar-coating the information, while never losing sight of the humans who are affected.

It’s a way for leaders to communicate that I describe as “authentically clear”.

In November 2020, Australians witnessed an example of a leader delivering difficult news while maintaining authenticity, when the Chief of Defence, General Angus Campbell AO DSC delivered the findings of the Afghanistan Inquiry Report into alleged war crimes involving Australian defence personnel.

Amid media speculation that Defence would try to avoid any blame arising from the allegations, General Campbell delivered a warts-and-all summary of the report, was unwavering in his message about taking full responsibility and answered journalists’ questions until they ran out of steam. As a result, the media described him as “a dignified and compelling figure” who “presented as a highly credible voice”.

You’ll build trust with your teams if you are authentic, demonstrating that you’re prepared to be open, even if your information reflects badly on you or the leadership team of your organization.

Many leaders mistakenly believe they need to make things sound more complex than they are, to maintain some sort of leadership mystique. If that rings true for you, 2023 is the time to rid yourself of that notion.

Exhausted, battle-weary teams don’t want to wade through waffly, confusing information to get to the part that affects them.

When you speak, use everyday language; be a human speaking with other humans. This applies to all communication, even when the subject matter is more complicated. It’s not a matter of dumbing it down; it’s about using everyday language that allows your teams to receive and understand the message the first time they hear or read it.

So, what does being “authentically clear” look like in practice?

• Be honest and open. If you can’t discuss an issue because it’s genuinely confidential, at least say that much.
• Don’t sugar-coat difficult news or dance around the hard truth. If teams are about to be affected by a decision, they need to know about it.
• When staff ask you questions, practice listening to their concerns and explaining the situation as fully as you can, rather than defending your position. Work to remove any tone of defensiveness from your communication.
• In your written and spoken words, keep it simple. Don’t make the mistake of thinking lofty words will make you sound more credible. Your aim is to focus on those reading or listening and help them understand your message the first time they receive it. When you write, keep paragraphs and sentences short and free of bureaucratic terms.
• For your written communication, a tool like the Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease Score can help. This model measures the length of your sentences and words and gives them a grade level.