10 - Check Before You Wreck – Why Message Clarity Matters

Framework for checking understanding and ensuring your message is received as intended

You said it. You thought you were clear. But the task still got done wrong, or the client is now confused, or someone’s feelings are hurt and you’re standing there thinking, “How did they not get that?”

Clarity isn’t just about speaking well. It’s about checking whether the message landed the way you meant it to. In a New Zealand SME, where people juggle roles, wear multiple hats and often work at speed, assumptions pile up fast.

We assume others know what we mean, share our priorities, or interpret our tone the same way we intended.

But meaning lives in the receiver, not the sender. If you want your communication to stick, you have to build in checks - not just send and hope for the best.

Why Clarity Gets Lost

Even when intentions are good, messages can go astray for all sorts of reasons -

• Different working styles – One person is a detail hawk. Another works off gut feel.

• Stress and distractions – People hear what they think they heard while multitasking.

• Cultural or language differences – A phrase that makes sense to you may be confusing or loaded for someone else.

• Assumed context – You refer to “the job” or “the client” without realising the other person is thinking of something else entirely.

• Email tone fails – Written messages miss tone, urgency, humour and nuance.

• Hierarchy filters – Junior staff don’t always clarify for fear of sounding dumb.

The result? Confusion, double-ups, rework, missed deadlines and friction that could’ve been avoided.

A Simple Framework - Message Sent ≠ Message Received

Here’s a basic process for improving clarity in your everyday communication -

1. Prepare Your Message
2. Deliver It Clearly
3. Check for Understanding
4. Confirm Action or Next Steps

Let’s have a look at each.

1. Prepare Your Message

Before you open your mouth or fire off the email, pause for 10 seconds and ask -

• What do I need this person to understand?

• What do they need to do with this information?

• What context do they have and what might they be missing?

This little mental reset keeps you from assuming shared knowledge or rushing into half-formed instructions.

2. Deliver It Clearly

• Use simple, direct language
  “We need to hold off sending the invoice until the delivery is confirmed.”
  Not - “Let’s hold off on finance comms for now, just in case.”

• Avoid jargon, acronyms or half-references
  If you have to use them, explain them.

• Say one thing at a time
  Don’t cram three instructions into one sentence. Clarity loves space.

• Match tone to context
  Urgent? Be firm, not frantic. Complex? Be slow, not sloppy.

3. Check for Understanding

Here’s where most communication breaks down. We assume silence = agreement. It doesn’t.

Instead, try these simple prompts -

• “What’s your read on that?”

• “Just so we’re on the same page, can you walk me through what you’re taking away from this?”

• “I want to make sure I explained that clearly, can you tell me what you’re planning to do next?”

• “Any questions or parts that feel fuzzy?”

It’s not about testing someone. It’s about ensuring you’ve been received clearly.

Tone matters here. Ask with curiosity, not pressure.

4. Confirm Action or Next Steps

Clarity lives in the follow-through.

Before wrapping up a conversation, meeting, or message, confirm -

• What’s happening next

• Who’s doing what

• By when

You don’t need to sound formal. Try -

• “Great, so you’ll get the draft to me by Friday and I’ll line up the client call for Monday?”

• “Let’s just double-check we’re clear - I’m editing the pitch; you’re booking the room and we’re both reviewing by Thursday?”

If it’s a big conversation, follow up with a quick written summary. One paragraph. No fluff. This avoids “he said, she said” confusion later.

A Real Example From the Workshop

Maria runs a small joinery workshop in Hawke’s Bay. She noticed that her production lead, Sam, kept interpreting “ASAP” differently to her. She meant within the day. He took it to mean within the week.

After a few frustrating rounds, she stopped using that term and started saying, “I need this before lunch today” or “Can this be done by end of day Friday?”

Sam appreciated the clarity. So did the rest of the team. The number of rushed jobs dropped by half in a month.

Spotting Signs Your Message Didn’t Land

Sometimes, even with effort, something gets missed. Watch for these clues -

• The person nods, but doesn’t make eye contact or ask questions

• They act quickly, but not in the way you expected

• You get a follow-up email asking for clarification on basic points

• Progress stalls and no one seems sure what the next step is

• They do the thing, but it doesn’t solve the problem you were aiming to fix

When in doubt, go back and check. Better to double-up than double back.

When You’re On the Receiving End

If someone gives you a vague message, here’s how to clarify without making them feel challenged -

• “Just to be sure I’ve got this right - do you mean X, or something else?”

• “Can I check when you need that by?”

• “Would you like a quick summary of what I’ve picked up?”

Good communication is a shared responsibility.

Final Thought

Clear communication isn’t about being smarter or more technical. It’s about slowing down enough to make sure people understand what matters, before everyone rushes off in different directions.

Every time you check for understanding, you reduce risk. You build trust. You save time.

So next time you speak, don’t just ask, “Did they hear me?” Ask, “Did they get what I meant?”

Coming up next - we explore the subtle ways reputation is built not by what you say, but by what people see.

If you’d like a confidential, free of charge, free of obligation conversation about your business, here’s how to get me.

📞 Phone +64 275 665 682
✉️ Email john.luxton@regenerationhq.co.nz
🌐 Contact Form www.regenerationhq.co.nz/contact

If you’d like to read more RegenerationHQ thinking on SME business and other things, go here – www.regenerationhq.co.nz/articlesoverview

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Supporting NZ SME Owners to Exit Well, Lead Better and Build Business Value.