Let’s be honest: most communication sucks. No, really—half the problems we face in business (and life) boil down to one thing: nobody knows how to say what they mean, or mean what they say. And before you roll your eyes and think, “Oh, this is just another lecture about communication,” let me stop you. This isn’t about throwing around corporate buzzwords like “alignment” or “synergy.” We’re talking about two things that actually work: assertiveness and clarity.
Let’s start with assertiveness. Now, before you imagine someone stomping into a room and barking orders like they’re auditioning for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” let me clarify—assertiveness is not about being loud or pushy. It’s about speaking up when you need to, without apologizing for having an opinion (you’d be surprised how many people feel the need to apologize for breathing). It’s saying, “Hey, this is what I think, and here’s why,” without sounding like a dictator. Assertiveness is the art of standing your ground, but doing it in a way that doesn’t make everyone around you feel like they need therapy afterward.
Teaching assertiveness to your clients isn’t about turning them into robots who only speak when necessary. It’s about helping them understand that their voice matters—whether they’re in a boardroom, in a meeting, or even just talking with their team. And if they’re not comfortable speaking up, well, it’s time for some practice (like, yesterday).
One way to practice is to role-play tough conversations. Yeah, I know, no one loves the idea of role-playing—it sounds awkward, and most of the time it is—but trust me, it works. Have them rehearse how they’ll handle a difficult conversation, whether it’s giving feedback to an employee or negotiating with a client. The key is to help them find that middle ground where they can be firm but fair. It’s about getting comfortable with discomfort (you know, that thing most people try to avoid).
Next up: clarity. And if you thought assertiveness was tough, clarity is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. We live in a world where people love to overcomplicate things. It’s like there’s an unspoken rule that the more confusing something sounds, the smarter you must be. Spoiler alert: the opposite is true. If you can’t explain something clearly, you probably don’t understand it.
So, how do you teach clarity? Simple—get your clients to cut the fluff. Teach them to say what they mean in the fewest words possible, without losing the essence of their message. No jargon, no five-dollar words when a one-dollar word will do, and definitely no corporate babble. Clarity is about being straightforward without sugarcoating, but also not bulldozing people with bluntness. It’s the difference between saying, “We may need to revisit the KPIs in Q3 to ensure alignment with organizational objectives” and just saying, “We’re off track. Let’s fix it.”
If your clients can master clarity, they’ll save themselves (and everyone else) a whole lot of confusion and time. It’s like a superpower. Suddenly, their emails are half as long, their meetings wrap up faster, and—miraculously—people understand what they’re saying. No more guessing games, no more “What did they really mean by that?” moments.
The best part? Assertiveness and clarity go hand in hand. You can’t be assertive if no one knows what you’re talking about. And you can’t be clear if you’re too afraid to say what you actually mean. So, help your clients find the balance between the two. Get them to speak their mind confidently (without being jerks), and make sure they’re understood (without making things more complicated than necessary).
In the end, effective communication isn’t rocket science. It’s about having the guts to speak up and the smarts to say it clearly. And when your clients start practicing these skills, they’ll notice something incredible: people start listening. Not because they have to, but because they actually want to.
And let’s face it—that’s half the battle won right there.