A/E/C Leadership Communication Gap: Are Your Teams Afraid to Say "The Thing?"

Communication tip: 

If your team is hesitating to say what everyone is privately thinking, you have a communication gap.

You may—or may not realize it.

👉Avoiding uncomfortable truths—with internal staff or prospects—doesn’t help your firm's credibility.

It erodes trust, performance, and your bottom line.

This isn’t about publicly calling someone out or embarrassing them.

It’s about creating a culture with psychological safety to calmly address real issues with professionalism and respect.

➡️Here’s a common example in A/E/C: 

You have a charismatic project leader or superintendent who dominates conversations and shortlisted interviews. 

They’re likable… outgoing… the “life of the party.”

But here’s what no one’s saying to their face:

📈Their long-winded stories and off-topic comments derail important discussions—especially with prospects.

What feels like small talk to them feels like wasted time to others. 😮

The challenge is that this individual doesn't know how to read the room and reel themselves in.

➡️The price you pay is lost bids and credibility.

➡️Your staff notices.

➡️Your prospects notice.

But because this person is well-liked, no one wants to be the one to say "the thing."

So people "dance around it" and feel frustration.

Effective leadership means addressing these patterns. One-on-one.

Early. Calmly. And clearly.

🔷The goal isn’t to criticize—it’s to help people grow.

It’s about improving communication, morale, and, profits.💰

If your culture doesn’t encourage honest conversations, key issues become expensive problems.

You set the tone.

🎯If you’re serious about improving communication, morale, and your bottom line—let’s talk. Contact me to learn more about leadership communication training for A/E/C firms.