Communication Myth 5: If I said it, they heard it.
Leadership in 180 Seconds: The 10 Greatest Communication Myths in the Workplace
Think saying it once is enough? Think again. In this episode, I unpack one of the biggest myths in leadership communication: that one message is all it takes. From school drop-offs with my kids to leading teams through change, I’ve seen the power of repetition firsthand. Communication isn’t about what you said—it’s about what they heard, remembered, believed, and acted on. Tune in and learn why intentional redundancy might just be your most underrated leadership tool.
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I can’t think of a better example of this than my kids. We live pretty close to our kid’s school and now that they are teenagers we have asked them to walk or ride their bikes to school most days. Certainly it helps me and my wife, but when we first asked this of them, I made the vision clear. This is about helping our girls to be strong, independent, resilient women who have good physical and mental health.
I ensured the message was delivered with clarity. And I think it probably was. And then the grumbling started. ‘What? Didn’t they hear that this is good for them?’
So I communicated again. Couple of weeks, grumbling. So I communicated again. Couple of months, grumbling. So I communicated again.
As leaders we just simply need to remember that our teams are made up of humans. Information in does not equal information out. This active understanding makes it easier to repeat your messages without feeling that they are trying to be difficult.
We live in a noisy world. Competing priorities, limited attention, and fast-paced work environments mean that even clear messages can get missed or misinterpreted. Saying something once doesn’t mean it’s been received, let alone remembered or acted upon.
That’s why great leaders repeat what matters. Not because their team is incapable, but because they are human. Repetition creates clarity. Clarity builds confidence. Confidence enables action.
When I coach leaders, one of the habits we talk about is intentional redundancy. That means not being afraid to reinforce a key message through multiple channels—email, meetings, one-on-ones, and even informal check-ins. It might feel like overkill to you, but to your team, it's a lifeline of consistency.
And follow-up? It’s not micromanaging. It’s leadership. It says, "This matters, and I want to support you in making it happen.”
To let you know where things ended up with my kids. We were having a conversation just recently and I thought my girls were frustrated again about having to get themselves to school. So I asked about it, and one of my daughters replied, ‘no, it’s not that. I get it. I see how that is good for us. And I’m grateful that you want me to be strong and independent.’ They got it.
So here’s the challenge: What’s one message your team needs to hear again this week? Say it. Then say it again. Because in leadership, it’s not what you said. It’s what they heard, remembered, believed and acted on.