Something feels off with my team, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Decisions get made in meetings, yet, somehow, everyone walks away with a different understanding of what actually happened. How do I know if we have a communication problem?

It sounds like you may have hit the nail on the head. Misunderstandings are common when communication is weak or not a priority. One way to determine if your organization is communicating effectively is to take our Organizational Communication Health Assessment.

Rate each of the following statements as Rarely/Never, Sometimes, or Always, and then tally your score following the directions below:

1. Difficult messages in our organization are delivered directly and without excessive delay.
2. After key meetings, everyone leaves with the same understanding of what was decided.
3. Leadership communicates the same position consistently, regardless of the audience.
4. Employees feel genuinely safe surfacing concerns without softening them first.
5. When we face a crisis or setback, we communicate proactively rather than reactively.
6. Feedback in our organization is specific, timely, and acted upon.
7. We can articulate our organizational narrative clearly and consistently to any external audience.
8. Our communication approach is something we have actively invested in, not something we assume takes care of itself.

Scoring:

Give every question rated “Rarely” 1 point, “Sometimes” 2 points, and “Always” 3 points, and add up your total. Then, see where your organization falls.

8–13 points = Communication as Liability: Your organization’s ideas are likely outpacing its ability to land them. The gap is costing you in ways that may not yet be fully visible.

14–19 points = Communication as Inconsistency: Strong in spots, unreliable under pressure. The variance itself is a problem. Trust is built on predictability.

20–24 points = Communication as Advantage: You’ve built something. The question is whether it’s systemic or dependent on a handful of individuals.

How many points did you score? If your communication is inconsistent or a liability, that means it’s probably time to seriously consider investing in communications training for your team. And if you scored high, there still may be specific communications issues to investigate, even if they aren’t affecting all aspects of your organization. In cases like those, you could consider a root cause analysis to identify the base issue before taking action.