How to Communicate Up, Down and Across the Organization with Impact

Businesses thrive on cooperation, and effective communication is the oil that keeps the pistons pumping, powering progress. Communicating effectively drives success, and many of us spend our waking hours doing it. But as anyone who has been part of a business or organization (or family) knows, there’s more to communication than simply speaking your mind. Sometimes (or often) the communication pistons can seem hopelessly gummed up.

In this article, I cover a broad array of communication best practices for communicating at every level of the workplace. I define effective communication and explain how individuals and organizations achieve it; providing tips, tools and real-world examples from my own experiences in the trenches of corporate America. As the founder and chief learning officer of CareerCraft, a corporate training organization, my clients have included General Mills, Disney-ABC Television Group and Citi Private Equity Services. 

The Importance of Tailored Communication in Organizational Success

There are many reasons to improve our ability to communicate effectively. Wielding communication skills effectively helps us understand and be understood. It allows us to influence and motivate others more effectively and drive meaningful change, which is critical in today’s accelerating vortex of disruption. Communicating well ultimately saves time, because there’s less back and forth—particularly if we can deftly flex our communications for different audiences and purposes.

Tailored communication—meaning the ability to exchange information effectively across a range of contexts—is a powerful skill elevator that helps organizations achieve their goals and propels individuals in their career. Technical skills don’t live in isolation; they need to be shared and communicated.

There are two key elements behind tailored communication. One is to thoroughly grasp your goals and how they impact the way your message will be received. For instance, are you trying to inform, influence, or gather information? The second is to understand the audience and context. Think about whether you have a solid relationship or if you need to build rapport or overcome resistance. What’s the picture in their mind? What does the audience hope to get out of the interaction?

Ineffective vs. Effective Communication in Practice

What does ineffective vs. effective communication look like in practice? Previously, I worked for a financial services firm that needed to change urgently. Management realized that the firm could fail if they didn’t overhaul how they interacted with clients. Unwilling to delay, executives issued urgent mandates from above. They required employees to be reskilled and to alter how they interacted with clients. They dictated changes to the culture and marketing strategy.

But executives didn’t consider how their audience would react. And predictably, people responded poorly. They didn’t understand why they were being asked to make these significant changes. They thought, “If we keep our heads down and don’t make any changes, this will pass and we’ll return to business as usual. Sensing a crisis, I convinced the head of strategy to explain why the changes were essential, so people would realize this was integral to our survival. We revised the directive, and while we didn’t have a perfect photograph of the future, we “painted a Monet”—an impressionistic picture of what was driving the mandates.

Leadership’s initial approach of dictating change is an example of inadequate communication. It was insensitive to the audience. The more effective style was to be empathetic to the employees’ understanding, explain why the change was necessary, and paint a vision of the future. As soon as employees understood that, they got on board.

In another case, I worked with a treasury department where the professionals were highly proficient at their individual roles but did not collaborate effectively. This created “speed bumps,” slowing decisions crucial to the organization. Recognizing this, I helped them communicate better by tailoring messages to each other’s personalities and work styles and improving listening skills—which are often overlooked when we think about communication skills. This enabled more effective budget management, eliminated Band-Aid fixes to critical issues and helped the team operate more strategically, ultimately enabling them to advance their careers.

Communicating Upwards: Engaging Executives and Managers

Key Skills for Upward Communication

Communicating upward is a critical skill, both for catalyzing an organization’s success and for establishing your own status and credibility. The higher up someone is in the hierarchy, the less time and attention they can share. Senior leaders need information they can consume efficiently. As a team member, you should strive to succinctly propose solutions to business problems that matter to the leader. Explain why the solution would work, and be prepared to answer questions about the background, your reasoning, and alternatives. You may briefly include key details and address how the situation affects people the leader cares about.

What are wrong ways to communicate to someone higher up in the organization? Examples include providing too much detail, complaining about something that’s not working without offering a solution, and asking for permission to find a solution. Always choose the most effective medium for your audience, whether by writing an email, requesting a meeting or speaking to the person informally. Company culture, the leader’s style and the type of message you’re delivering will influence this.

Tone and Style

How can you adapt to an executive’s preferred communication style? Modulating your tone and style can help. If you tend to be informal, consider upgrading your language, especially in writing and presentations. Be conscious that you’re not chit-chatting with a colleague using familiar language. You should know the leader’s expectations. Always discuss with your supervisor their preferred communication style—not only when you begin working with them, but as your role evolves. Ask them what platforms (email, Zoom, etc.) they prefer, how you should communicate urgent vs. routine matters, and how to provide updates.

Early in my career I was given 20 minutes to present the results of a pilot project to executives. I initially worked diligently preparing 20 slides, thinking I had one minute per slide, but my boss put the brakes on. She informed me that executives want a high-level overview on the benefits to the organization, not fine detail, and that I’d likely have only five minutes to present, with the rest reserved for questions. With that approach, they approved our budget.

Tips for Impact

The advice I’m presenting may seem straightforward in theory, but as usual the devil is in the details. Amid the many tasks employees are expected to juggle, we often overlook the nuances of communicating with impact. How do you know the right moment to communicate? How do you align your message with organizational goals? What if you need to deliver an unpopular message to an unreceptive supervisor? How do you prepare supporting data?

When delivering important messages, timing is critical. If a matter is not urgent, avoid dropping big ideas during a crisis. Schedule time instead. But don’t just say “let’s talk.” Offer a quick preview so they’re mentally prepared. Start the conversation with a WIIFM (or “what’s in it for me?” with “me” being the supervisor). Even if the benefits seem obvious, don’t assume others see them similarly. Sometimes, you need to clearly state how your idea supports a key goal. If the supervisor isn’t connecting the dots, spell out why it matters. Clarity makes an enormous difference.

Be clear about what you need: feedback, a decision, permission or guidance. Even in short chats, clarity helps. During the conversation, watch their reactions. If they’re on board, you might not need your full pitch. Communication isn’t just about delivery—it’s also about reading the room.

If your message proves unpopular, be ready to adjust. Try to understand their point of view, and why it differs from your own. What are their pain points, and how can you address them? With an unreceptive audience, emphasize why they should care, or why your idea is important to the organization. Having solid data is critical. Ensure in advance that your supporting data is clear, flawless and pertinent. Make sure you’ve mastered it; that you can establish your credibility and field questions. It may help to be on good terms with a data analyst or subject-matter expert who can elucidate nuances. There are often many ways to interpret data; be equipped to see how your audience sees it.

Communicating Across Teams and Departments

Cross-Functional Communication

Cross-organizational communication presents additional challenges. Despite our best efforts, most organizations remain deeply siloed. These silos can present barriers, friction or misunderstandings. There could be conflicting goals, for instance between an innovation department and one tasked with compliance. Often subcultures may have different communication styles, leading to gaps and conflict. Without mutual understanding and rapport, cross-departmental communication becomes difficult.

Bridging these gaps requires building cross-functional relationships, acknowledging others’ workloads and appreciating how their roles contribute to the organization’s goals. Start by understanding the subcultures and communication styles of different teams. This awareness can prevent misunderstandings and support effective collaboration.

Building rapport is essential. Get to know your counterparts on a human level and show genuine interest and appreciation for their work, even if you’re not trying to change how they do it. Seek out both formal and informal opportunities to connect. It’s always better to build bridges before you need them. When making requests, be thoughtful and acknowledge their workload.

Rather than adding pressure, show empathy, offer flexibility and frame the conversation around how to work together effectively to support the organization’s goals. Examples might include statements such as, “I understand you’re busy and this is one more item on your plate,” or “I can appreciate that this is hard to hear at this point in your week. Let’s talk about what would be a reasonable deadline.”

As an example of a successful cross-functional initiative, if you’re collaborating with another group to resolve an urgent problem, first acknowledge them as humans and recognize their expertise. Avoid blaming them even if you feel that their processes caused the problem. Instead, focus on the need to fix it. Ask how you can facilitate the solution, for instance by seeking approvals, managing a sub-project, or following up with the other team. And above all, ensure that you personally and publicly thank them and recognize the extraordinary effort they’re making, to raise their visibility.

Building Collaborative Relationships

How do you build the trust and mutual respect that is integral to collaborating and communicating across silos? This is particularly important when you have departments that depend on one another’s work, such as sales and marketing. Again, it helps to build relationships and focus on the human element. Here are some tips on how to do that:

• Cultivate a healthy curiosity about others by asking thoughtful questions about their work and experience. Truly listen to their responses and ask follow-up questions to show interest.
• Offer timely feedback, both appreciative and constructive, regardless of hierarchy, and look for moments to provide support.
• A simple “How can I help?” or specific appreciation for their efforts goes a long way. These consistent, respectful interactions form the foundation of strong, collaborative relationships.
• Regularly reinforce shared goals and clarify expectations to build trust and mutual respect. If there’s confusion, work through it together.
• Co-create simple meeting practices or protocols that define how you’ll work together.
• Frame collaboration as a shared effort to learn and grow, to foster a stronger, more respectful working relationship.

Active Listening and Empathy

When we think about communicating to improve collaboration, we often overlook a critical factor: active listening and empathy. People are far more willing to collaborate when they feel heard, when their contributions are recognized. If someone is frustrated by a new requirement, acknowledge it and invite them to share their thoughts.

Keep an open mind and ask thoughtful follow-up questions to encourage deeper dialogue. Pay attention not just to their words, but also to tone and body language; this is why I strongly advocate for turning cameras on in virtual meetings. By reflecting their emotions, affirming that you understand them and responding with additional questions, you can clear lines of communication, fostering problem solving and collaboration.

How do you build the formidable skills needed to execute this approach, particularly in tense or adversarial situations? You need to practice listening intentionally to others, which you can do (and which can be helpful) outside the office or even in family situations. Focus not just on the words someone uses, but also their tone and body language, which often reveal deeper feelings. Practice asking follow-up questions, paraphrasing their ideas, and reflecting their emotions—for instance, “It sounds like you’re frustrated”—to confirm understanding. A particularly useful exercise is listening to someone describe a problem and resisting the urge to offer solutions. Instead, clearly and empathetically restate both the issue and how they feel. It’s harder than it sounds, but incredibly effective.

Communicating Downwards: Leading Direct Reports with Clarity

Clarity and Directness

Setting clear expectations is essential to effective management, yet it’s often overlooked. Supervisors may assume their expectations are understood when they haven’t explicitly communicated them. Without clarity, direct reports are left guessing, making it nearly impossible to meet expectations.

Transparency becomes even more important when goals shift—which they often do. Leaders must regularly communicate updates and create space for dialogue to ensure alignment. Whether it’s broad performance expectations or specific deadlines, clarity prevents confusion, supports accountability and fosters a more trusting, productive work environment.

To deliver instructions effectively, avoid “drive-bys,” meaning casual requests made in passing, perhaps when you encounter someone in the hallway. These tend to be hazy for the audience but elicit knee-jerk agreement.

Instead, schedule a focused conversation to clearly outline what needs to be done, by when, and what support or resources are available. Consider the decision-making power the person will have and how you’d like to stay updated. Always invite questions and clarify ambiguities. For crucial tasks, ask them to recap what they heard, either verbally or in writing, to ensure full understanding. When instructions are delivered this way, it leads to smoother execution, fewer misunderstandings and stronger ownership of outcomes.

Motivational Communication

To energize teams effectively, managers must be mindful of what they say and how they say it. Verbally, leaders should conduct regular one-on-one “pulse checks” to offer feedback, triage concerns and show support. These short 15- to 20-minute check-ins help team members feel heard and valued.

Team settings are also essential for motivation. Use meetings not just for status updates, but for collaboration, recognition and celebrating progress. Again, non-verbal cues matter. Tone, pace and body language influence how your message is received. For example, if you’re a fast-paced communicator, slowing down during high-stress moments can reduce anxiety and promote trust. Transparency and openness about challenges also reinforces respect and engagement.

Motivating teams is most effective when you align communication with recognition, encouragement and shared purpose. Regularly highlight team and individual accomplishments and tie praise directly to organizational or team goals to reinforce meaning. Use meetings to foster dialogue, encourage shared leadership and promote transparency, especially during times of change.

As a leader, acknowledge that you don’t have all the answers; rather that you are engaging team members to collaborate and build resilience toward thriving in an uncertain future. Sharing the “why” behind decisions and inviting input helps teams feel included and aligned. Encouragement isn’t just verbal. You can boost morale and deepen collaboration by empowering team members to lead meetings, spearhead projects and share their expertise. Ultimately, motivation grows when people feel seen, supported and connected to a larger mission.

Feedback Skills

When giving feedback, keep it timely so everyone remembers clearly. Make it non-judgmental and based on what you directly observed or saw and its impact. Whenever possible, ask questions to draw on their thinking, rather than dictating from above. For corrective feedback, ask: “What could you do differently next time?” Even for positive feedback, you can ask: “What do you think led to that outcome?” This reinforces learning and builds trust.

Feedback should be clear, concise and frequent rather than long and intermittent. Short, meaningful conversations can be incredibly powerful. If deeper coaching is needed, consider engaging a teammate or an outside resource. And don’t forget to praise progress. Reinforce what’s working, not just what needs fixing.

Practical Tips for Consistency and Professionalism in Communication

Consistency Across Levels

How can you maintain professionalism and integrity in communication at all levels? Professionalism, of course, is essential to ensuring collaborators feel respected and valued. Consistency, however, is more situational. We tailor communications to the people we are speaking with, taking into consideration their state of mind, status in the hierarchy, and the matter we are addressing.

Start by treating each interaction as a learning opportunity. That means actively seeking feedback about how your message landed and whether it could have been delivered more effectively. Understanding and respecting organizational culture is key. Norms around tone, language, and even emoji use can vary widely, and shift depending on seniority. What feels appropriate on Slack may be out of place in an email to an executive. Knowing when to use casual vs. formal language, or how much detail to include, helps maintain clarity and respect.

Finally, professionalism means being thoughtful about context. You might grab a peer in passing to troubleshoot an issue, but with a senior leader consider scheduling time, preparing an agenda and sharing the purpose of the conversation upfront. That kind of intentionality builds trust, shows respect, and upholds both professionalism and integrity across levels.

Balancing Authority and Approachability

A key strategy for succeeding in the workplace is to establish authority while remaining approachable. This can help cultivate the holy grail of collaboration: teams in which people are willing to take on new ideas and hear about problems. In such an environment, the leader’s job is easier and the team performs at a higher level.

Effective leaders know they don’t need all the answers. By modeling curiosity, transparency and a willingness to learn, and by owning mistakes, they promote a growth mindset and signal that it’s safe to do the same. Storytelling can be powerful. Sharing lessons learned from missteps builds trust and encourages open dialogue. Even a simple statement like, “I have an idea, but I need your input to make it work,” shows humility, invites collaboration and reinforces team members’ expertise. This kind of leadership sparks engagement rather than compliance, and that’s what drives lasting performance.

Digital Communication Tips

Style is also important. In addition to balancing authority and approachability, effective communicators tailor their style to the medium, audience and moment. For instance, amid the digital world’s excess of platforms and noise, strong leaders demonstrate authority by using active voice, keeping messages clear and concise. They’re mindful that written messages are often interpreted through the lens of prior interactions. And they respect how others will consume content. This is especially important when communicating with a busy executive who may read your message on a phone, where a few sentences may appear as a long block of text.

Overcoming Common Communication Challenges in Organizations

Navigating Miscommunication and Conflict

Misunderstandings are common and to be expected. How do you resolve them? First, acknowledge what happened by listening actively to the other person’s view. Apologize if your actions might have been the cause, then have an open conversation about how to resolve it. Most importantly, agree on how to handle a similar situation differently in the future.

You might say, “Next time, let’s talk before I move forward on this kind of request,” or “Let’s bring in someone with more technical expertise sooner.” The goal is to lead with empathy, acknowledge the other person’s perspective and take responsibility for your part. Clarify why resolution matters and invite the other person to help shape the solution. The key is to focus not just on fixing what happened, but on building a stronger working relationship going forward. Using this approach, misunderstandings become teachable moments.

Adapting to Diverse Communication Styles

Versatility and nimbleness are essential to thriving in any organization. How do you recognize and adjust to different communication preferences and personality types? Again, the answer lies in being attentive to purpose and context. People want to receive information in different ways, so understanding this and crafting your message appropriately is vital. If you don’t know your audience well, you can reach out in advance to colleagues who communicate with them regularly to determine their preferences. For instance, do they like small talk or are they all business? Will they want detailed data or highlights? What might they ask? What motivates them? Knowing the answers can help you pinpoint communication to their preferences.

Addressing Resistance to Communication

Sometimes, despite our best efforts and all the strategies discussed here, we encounter resistance, such as a lack of openness or an unwillingness to collaborate. Your solution needs to be attentive to the cause. If your counterpart is resistant to the change, consider finding common ground, for instance by reassuring them that the organization’s overarching goals are not changing. If someone tends to work solo or is more introverted, find ways to draw them into team dynamics. Invite them to share ideas in meetings, lead a project or partner with a colleague to solve a problem. You can also offer coaching support and then ask them to coach or guide someone else, helping them engage more actively and build connection with the team.

Building Impactful Communication Skills for Career Growth

Communicating up, down and across the organization is a nuanced, multifaceted art. Above all, it involves tailoring your message to the context, and actively listening and adapting to your audience. Using the tips I’ve presented here can help you get your voice heard regardless of your place in the hierarchy. But communicating effectively can take years or even decades to master. Relentless, persistent practice is vital.

If you’d like to learn more and practice these techniques, you may benefit from enrolling in one of the MCE’s Communication courses. Consider, for example, Communicating Up, Down and Across the Organization. A mainstay of our curriculum, the course can help you influence colleagues to support a proposal or inspire direct reports to make a change. It will help you analyze your audience and influence team members and supervisors, and as the title suggests, communicate more effectively at all levels of the organization.