Jan 21, 2025

The Chatter - Issue #7 19Dec2024

Liz Marion
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Hi Communicators,

As we wrap up the year, it’s natural to look back at where we’ve been and how we’ve grown—especially when it comes to communication. We’ve all had those “woulda, coulda, shoulda” moments, whether it’s rethinking a social media post, wishing we handled that board meeting differently, or wanting to hit rewind on an important presentation. But here’s the thing: communication isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, delivering your message, and being understood—even when things don’t go exactly as planned.

I believe that clear, confident communication is what moves the needle for organizations. Whether you’re leading a team, sharing a vision with stakeholders, or presenting to a potential investor, it’s not about getting every word right—it’s about making sure your message resonates and inspires action. Mistakes will happen, but what matters is that your communication is intentional, authentic, and impactful.

As we reflect on 2024, it’s a great time to think about where communication helped us shine and where it fell short. What conversations felt effortless? When did you feel truly connected to your audience, whether it was your team or a room full of executives? And on the flip side, where did miscommunication create tension or missed opportunities?

I’ve included some prompts and articles to help you reflect on the highs and lows of your communication journey this year. Remember, the goal isn’t to dwell on what didn’t go perfectly—it’s to learn from it and step into 2025 with more clarity and confidence. Because when we communicate effectively, we not only strengthen our teams and organizations, we empower ourselves to lead with impact.

I hope everyone has a joy-filled and safe holiday season!

Talk Soon,

Liz Marion

Owner & Principal, Liby Works

Key Insights

facts and more

Data

$15,000; 46 Days; $2 Trillion

these are the three most stand out stats of 2024 for Internal Communications

More Than That

This year, the numbers around internal communication hit harder than ever: $15,000, 46 days, $2 Trillion.

These numbers, to me, are wake-up calls. They underscore how unintentional miscommunication and ineffective communication are quietly draining profits, productivity, and progress from our organizations.

While communication is often labeled a “soft skill,” the reality is that ignoring it comes with hard costs. Our increasingly complex workplaces, missions, and work environments aren’t making things any easier—but they are making the stakes higher.

However, I believe that just planting the importance of communication in our minds, even in the smallest ways, can make a difference. I call it intention and attention. When we actively think about improving communication, we begin to move the needle little by little in our habits, on our teams, and within our organizations.

One simple practice I love is embedding the value of clear communication into our daily habits.

For example, in an email signature:
"Our organization values clear communication. If any part of this is unclear, please let us know so we can be better aligned."

Or during a meeting:
"Clear communication is really important on our team, so let me know if this doesn’t make sense or if we need to clarify what success looks like."

These small signals send a big message: we care about understanding each other and getting things right.

As we move into 2025, I’m encouraging all of us to approach communication with intention and attention. Let’s reclaim those wasted dollars, those wasted days of productivity, and transform our workplaces into spaces where people are not only productive but happy to show up and bring their best every day.

Here’s a refresher on the stats:

46 Days: That’s the number of productive days the average employee loses each year due to miscommunication.
$2 Trillion: U.S. companies lose this staggering amount annually to ineffective communication.
$15,000: The average cost of miscommunication per employee per year.

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