Am I the Problem? Leadership Communication With a Positive Impact

Course Objectives

1. Pause Before You Present: Lead From Neutrality
   Learners will practice recognizing emotional "charge" in themselves and learn to pause, center, and communicate from a place of neutrality to reduce defensiveness and increase effectiveness.
   
   
2. Use the “Five C’s” Framework to Diagnose Communication Breakdowns
   Learners will apply a structured framework—Clarity, Commitment, Consistency, Consequence, and Cutting the Cord—to analyze and improve recurring leadership frustrations.
   
   
3. Deliver Clear Standards With Defined Expectations
   Learners will ensure team communication includes what the standard is, when it’s due, what success looks like, and why it matters—eliminating vague or assumed expectations.
   
   
4. Secure Genuine Commitment, Not Just Passive Agreement
   Learners will ask for clear verbal commitment and address potential barriers to follow-through to prevent “fake buy-in” and repetition loops.
   
   
5. Create Systems to Support Consistency Across the Team
   Learners will design lightweight audit systems, reminder tools, and follow-up structures to reinforce consistent application of new standards or protocols.
   
   
6. Use Consequences With Compassion and Clarity
   Learners will set clear, pre-discussed consequences for repeated omissions, avoiding shame-based discipline and instead reinforcing personal responsibility.
   
   
7. Know When and How to “Cut the Cord” Without Guilt
   Learners will identify when it's time to let a team member go, ensuring it is done with dignity, after proper leadership steps have been taken, and in alignment with the team’s standards and culture.
   
   
8. Avoid Resentment by Leading With Curiosity, Not Control
   Learners will use “help me understand” conversations to replace assumption-driven reactions with thoughtful, open-ended inquiry that encourages growth and mutual understanding.
   
   
9. Address Emotional and Behavioral Triggers in Communication
   Learners will become aware of tone, timing, body language, punctuation, and context when communicating—especially in emotionally charged or written messages.
   
   
10. Equip All Leaders With Tools to Communicate Effectively
    Learners will share this framework with office managers and team leads to build a consistent communication culture and reduce leader burnout caused by unclear or unproductive team dynamics.