Integrity 300: Say It Plain

Imperative Explained

Say It Plain means communicating expectations with clarity and without unnecessary complexity. “Good” looks like removing qualifiers, naming the real issue, and stating expectations in simple, unambiguous language. Leaders who say it plain reduce friction, eliminate misinterpretation, and give teams what they need to execute well the first time.
This imperative drives two outcomes: clearer expectations that reduce confusion and less work lost to miscommunication and rework. When communication becomes precise, teams move faster, decisions stick, and errors decrease dramatically.

Five Behaviors

• Use simple, direct language — Remove vagueness and qualifiers.
  
  
• State expectations upfront — Don’t bury the lead.
  
  
• Eliminate hedging — Replace “kind of/maybe” with clarity.
  
  
• Name the real issue — Say what you mean plainly.
  
  
• Check for understanding — Have others restate expectations.
  
  

If You Don’t

Teams operate on assumptions. Misalignment grows as people interpret vague direction differently. Rework increases, cycle time expands, and escalation volume rises. Customers notice inconsistencies caused by unclear expectations. Leaders lose trust as stakeholders see repeated communication failures.

If You Do

Clarity accelerates everything. Teams move faster with fewer errors. KPIs improve: rework hours drop, miscommunication incidents decrease, and cycle time contracts. Stakeholders experience stronger alignment and more predictable delivery. Leaders become reliable communicators who reduce friction instead of causing it.

Mini-Case

A director struggled with recurring misalignment in a product rollout. After committing to “saying it plain,” she started each project with a one-sentence expectation statement and confirmed understanding with a quick restate. The team’s rework dropped by 40%, cross-functional alignment improved, and the rollout hit every major milestone on time.

Try It This Week

1. Rewrite one message using half the words.
   
   
2. State the core expectation in the first sentence.
   
   
3. Remove hedging language from one communication.
   
   
4. Name one issue directly instead of hinting.
   
   
5. Ask a partner to restate shared expectations.

Learn More

Integrity 300 sits alongside other Lead Self skills designed to reduce execution drag. For clearer expectations and cleaner handoffs, explore Accountability 100: Claim the Result to strengthen ownership and Purpose 100: Name Your Why and Who to anchor messages in purpose that sharpens clarity.