Fixing Communication Won’t Fix Your Culture… Here’s What Will

We often talk about communication as if it’s the solution to every culture problem. But in most organizations, communication isn’t the root issue. It’s the symptom.

When leaders say they need clearer communication, what they often don’t realize is that communication problems usually come from something deeper. And trying to “fix” communication on its own is often just treating the symptom, not the cause.

Sometimes it’s misaligned incentives.

Sometimes it’s leaders making decisions without clarity on who owns what.

Sometimes it’s hesitation to say the wrong thing.

Sometimes it’s people protecting themselves because trust has worn down over time.

You can send more emails and host more town halls and still not change how people feel or behave. Culture improves when you address the real drivers beneath the communication patterns. Trust. Decision rights. Accountability. Safety to speak up. Incentives. Leadership behavior. When leaders focus on those, communication naturally becomes clearer, faster, and more honest.

If you want more real conversations inside your organization, start by improving the conditions that shape how people interact. It reduces miscommunication, encourages people to share their thinking, and creates the clarity teams are looking for.