7 Mistakes You’re Making with Your Leadership Communication (And How the CHANGE Framework Fixes Them)
- Brad Young
- Apr 20
- 5 min read
Listen, I’ve been in the trenches. I’ve led teams from three people in a garage to massive organizations, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned as the CEO of Brady Young Change, it’s this: Your leadership is only as good as your communication.
You can have the best strategy in the world. You can have the most revolutionary product. You can even have the most talented people on the planet. But if you can’t get the vision out of your head and into their hearts, you’re spinning your wheels.
Most leaders think they’re great communicators. They talk a lot, so they must be good at it, right? Wrong. Talking isn't communicating. Communicating is about connection, understanding, and transformation.
Today, I’m breaking down the seven biggest mistakes I see leaders make every single day. But I’m not just going to leave you hanging. I’m going to show you how my CHANGE Framework: the backbone of my book CHANGE: is the exact tool you need to fix these leaks and start leading with impact.
1. The "Ghost" Leader (Lack of Presence)
The first mistake is the most common: not communicating at all. I call this the "Ghost Leader." You think your team knows what they’re doing, so you retreat into your office to handle "big picture" stuff. You assume no news is good news.
In reality, silence is a vacuum, and in a vacuum, people fill the space with fear, rumors, and anxiety. If you aren't talking, your team is making up their own version of the truth.
The CHANGE Fix: Clarity of Purpose. Communication starts with being present. In the CHANGE framework, the C stands for Clarity. You need to be visible. Whether it’s a quick Slack check-in or a weekly town hall, you must consistently clarify the "why" behind the "what." Don’t let them guess.
2. The Information Firehose
On the flip side, we have the leaders who over-communicate. They send 4,000-word emails at 11 PM. They hold three-hour meetings that could have been a bullet point. This leads to "Information Fatigue." When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Your team stops listening because they’re just trying to survive the deluge.
The CHANGE Fix: Habit of Curation. The H in CHANGE represents Habits. You need to build the habit of curation. Before you hit send or call that meeting, ask yourself: Is this actionable? Is this essential? Great leaders communicate frequently, but they do it concisely. Make it a habit to trim the fat from your messaging.
3. The "Jekyll and Hyde" Inconsistency
Nothing destroys trust faster than a leader who changes their tune every Tuesday. One day you’re focused on growth; the next day, you’re obsessed with cost-cutting. One day you’re "approachable," and the next day, you’re biting heads off. If your team doesn't know which version of you is going to show up, they’ll stop taking risks.
The CHANGE Fix: Attitude of Consistency. The A in CHANGE stands for Attitude. Your communication is a reflection of your mindset. If your internal attitude is scattered, your external communication will be too. You need to develop a "North Star" perspective. In my book Business Decision Making, I talk about how a consistent framework for choice leads to consistent outcomes. Apply that to your words. Be the same leader every single day.
4. The "Riddle Master" (Being Vague)
"We need to step it up." "Let’s strive for excellence." "I need more initiative." These aren't instructions; they’re riddles. When you use vague language, you’re setting your team up for failure because they don’t know what "winning" actually looks like.
The CHANGE Fix: Goal Alignment. The G in CHANGE stands for Goals. Leadership communication must be tied to specific, measurable objectives. Instead of saying "step it up," try "I need us to decrease our response time by 15% by the end of the quarter." When your goals are clear, your communication becomes a roadmap rather than a puzzle.
5. Playing the Blame Game
When things go wrong: and they will: the instinct for many leaders is to find the "who" instead of the "why." Using "You" statements ("You missed the deadline," "You didn't follow the process") puts people on the defensive. Once a team member is defensive, their brain literally shuts down the part responsible for problem-solving.
The CHANGE Fix: Education over Accusation. The E in CHANGE stands for Education. Every mistake is a learning opportunity. Shift your communication from blaming to educating. Instead of "You failed," try "Let’s look at the process: where did the breakdown happen, and how can we teach the team to avoid this next time?" You aren't just a boss; you're a coach.
6. The One-Way Street (Ignoring Feedback)
If you’re the only one talking, you aren't leading: you’re lecturing. Many leaders treat communication as a top-down broadcast. They don't listen to the boots on the ground because they think they already have all the answers. This is a massive mistake that leads to blind spots and missed opportunities.
The CHANGE Fix: Network Engagement. The N in CHANGE stands for Network. Your team is your primary network. You need to build a high-performer inner circle that feels safe telling you the truth. Actionable strategy: Implement a "Reverse Town Hall" where you spend 30 minutes just asking questions and listening to the answers. No defending, no correcting: just listening.
7. Missing the "Why" (The Context Gap)
You tell your team to implement a new software. They hate it. They resist it. Why? Because you didn't explain how it helps them or the company. You gave them a task without giving them the context. Without the "Why," work is just a chore. With the "Why," work is a mission.
The CHANGE Fix: The CHANGE Framework Integration. This is where the entire framework comes together. To give context, you need Clarity of vision, the Habit of explaining the "why," an Attitude of transparency, Network buy-in, Goal synchronization, and an Education-first mindset. When you wrap your communication in the CHANGE framework, you aren't just giving orders; you’re building a culture of transformation.
Actionable Transformation Strategies
Ready to fix your communication today? Here are three things you can do right now:
The 3-Sentence Rule: For your next three internal emails, try to convey your core message in three sentences or less. Force yourself to be concise.
The "Ask, Don’t Tell" Challenge: In your next one-on-one, spend 70% of the time asking open-ended questions like "What’s the biggest hurdle you’re facing right now?"
Audit Your Tone: Re-read your last five messages. Are they motivational or just functional? If you want a high-performance team, your communication needs to reflect that energy.
If you want to dive deeper into these strategies, I highly recommend picking up my #1 bestselling book, Business Decision Making. It’s not just about what you decide; it’s about how you communicate those decisions to move the needle.
Stay Connected and Keep Growing
Leadership is a journey, not a destination. You’ve got to keep sharpening the saw. One of the best ways to do that is to tune into our latest conversations with high-performers who are out there making it happen every day.
We cover everything from communication mastery to the habits of the world's most successful CEOs. You can catch all the latest episodes of our podcast right here:
Don't settle for "good enough" communication. Your team deserves a leader who is clear, consistent, and committed to their growth. Use the CHANGE framework, stay focused, and let's go get it.
- Brad Young CEO, Brady Young Change
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