Communication fuels team engagement.
According to Axios HQ’s 2024 workplace communication report, 14% of employees feel misaligned with their organization’s goals — yet 42% of leaders say stronger communication leads to better teamwork and collaboration. That gap represents one of the biggest performance risks — and one of the greatest opportunities — for advisory teams today.
Bill Belichick made “Do your job” a cultural cornerstone during his legendary run with the New England Patriots. But imagine how the team would have performed if even one player didn’t understand the goal, their role or how to communicate with others. It’s no different in your practice. When communication is inconsistent or unclear, alignment breaks down, issues get missed and performance suffers.
“Once we started meeting weekly with a consistent agenda, everything changed. Everyone knew what mattered, we spotted issues early, and we finally stopped duplicating efforts. It was the simplest shift — and it completely leveled up how we operated.”
— Pat Hinton, Founder and President at Boston Wealth Strategies
Strong communication cultures are built — not assumed. They start with intentional rhythms and clearly defined norms that guide how information flows across the team. When these foundations are in place, your entire practice moves in sync — faster, smoother and with greater purpose. Leaders who reinforce key messages regularly through repetition, positive reinforcement and recognition cultivate a culture where communication isn’t just a routine, but a motivating force.
Use the two practical tools in this lesson to:
- Build a customized communication rhythm that outlines cadence, audience and purpose
- Establish team-wide communication norms that promote clarity, consistency and shared accountability
Together, these tools help you shift from scattered updates to structured conversations that reinforce your firm’s vision and drive collective momentum.
Think about the strongest teams you’ve been a part of. Chances are, they had one thing in common: clear, consistent communication driven by intentional leadership. Leaders who clearly and consistently communicate, and who visibly enjoy the challenge of guiding their teams, set a tone that inspires engagement and alignment.
Leadership communication isn’t just about passing along updates — it’s about setting the tone. Great leaders create environments where trust, dialogue and alignment can thrive. They serve as the “thermostat” for their team — not just reacting to what’s happening, but actively setting the temperature for how the organization communicates and collaborates. Leaders reinforce this by utilizing slogans, refrains or catchphrases that capture key elements of their vision and mission, repeating them often to reinforce alignment.
When leaders master this skill, their teams experience fewer missteps, higher engagement and a stronger connection to the firm’s mission. In contrast, teams that struggle often trace their challenges back to misalignment, ambiguity or silence at the top.
In the sections ahead, we’ll walk through the foundational habits of effective communicators, explore how emotional intelligence enhances team dialogue and provide frameworks to help you lead with clarity and intention.
The strongest teams communicate deliberately — and the tone you set as a leader makes all the difference.
INSIGHTS
Standardizing communication
In this video, Lisa Crafford discusses why standardized communication and alignment processes were critical to advisors’ success in growing their practices.
Lisa Crafford
Managing Director and Head of Advisory at Constellation Wealth Capital, LLC
4MINVIDEO