Somehow, one of the side effects is that leading is no longer just about what you say or expect others to do – it’s how you make your employees and team members feel, act, and grow. High performers have redefined communication as a tool for connection, inspiration, and transformation. Here are my five top workplace communication hacks, based on decades of experience in senior level communication and leadership roles:

Intentional listening over infobesity

The modern workplace is drowning in information, yet star performers know that more isn’t always better. Instead of contributing to the overload, they practice intentional and active listening.

This means tuning into not just what is said, but what’s beneath the words – the emotional undertones, unspoken priorities, and hesitations. Intentional listening allows leaders to filter the signal from the noise, aligning their responses (most of the time the right answer is, in fact, another question!) with what truly matters.

Hack: start every meeting with a short round table introduction question. Each attendee is invited to share their “contribution and goal” – what do you bring to this discussion today? What do you need to learn or understand better? Then, use reflective language (“What I hear you saying is...”) to demonstrate focus, validate the contributions, and ensure there are no misinterpretations.

Use “micro moments of connection” to build trust fast

Trust isn’t built with a single sweeping gesture; it is forged in micro-moments, and over time. Whether it’s a quick check-in before a meeting or a ten-second acknowledgment of someone’s effort, high performers understand that small, meaningful interactions compound over time.

The latest research highlights the power of these fleeting moments in establishing rapport and team cohesion. Leaders who deliberately create these moments nurture a culture of trust where collaboration thrives.

Hack: set a timer twice a day to ask yourself, “Who can I acknowledge right now?” A 15-second note, Slack message, a Teams note, or passing comment could be your most productive action to a peer, a colleague, a team member.

Communicate with a Google Map in mind to inspire trust and action

Top leaders don’t just give directions – they provide a roadmap. Like a Google Map, they outline the destination, zoom in on the next immediate steps, and zoom out to show the bigger picture. This approach helps teams feel both grounded and inspired, instilling clarity and confidence in complex environments. I don’t jump on a bus if I don’t know where it’s going. Well, the same goes with work, we need to know where our managers are taking us.

Hack 1:

• Destination: define the intention of projects, initiatives, events.
• Next turn: clarify immediate, actionable steps and support structures. Ensure you identify and share potential dependencies openly.
• Zoom out: remind teams of the overarching mission regularly to keep them aligned and motivated.
•  

Hack 2: use the 3i framework when addressing your teams

• Intention: what is my intention when addressing them
• Influence: what are my areas of influence, what do they care for, what do they want/need/desire most? What motivates them? Use these as levers for the discussion.
• Impact: when I am done talking or facilitating this meeting, what do I want them to feel like? What do I need them to remember? What do I need them to do?

This clarity-driven communication doesn’t just inspire – it engages others into action with purpose.

Turn feedback into ‘empowerment conversations’

High performers approach feedback not as a year-end critique, but as a conversation about potential and opportunities throughout the year. They recognise feedback as a tool to empower others, fostering growth and autonomy – not just for others, but for themselves too!

Rather than saying, “Here’s what you did wrong,” they frame feedback with curiosity and collaboration: “What’s your perspective on this? Did we reach our destination (goals)?” “How might we approach it differently next time?” This shifts the conversation from blame to opportunity.

Hack: use the 3c framework for feedback:

• Context: provide specific examples of what worked or didn’t.
• Curiosity: ask open-ended questions to explore solutions together and include whoever is in front of you as part of the solution
• Collaboration: work together to co-create the next steps. “How can I support you?”

Spark reflection and accountability: channelling curiosity over command

In 2030, leaders are less about giving orders and more about asking powerful questions. Early access to information – all kinds of information including training, expertise, benchmarks etc., – means that we are less in an expertise role model type: I transfer knowledge, and more into behaviour modelling: I transfer connections, savoir-être, and best practices.

High performers don’t demand compliance – they spark reflection and encourage accountability through curiosity and exceptional relationship building (connecting, negotiating, mediating, federating).

Hack: end every meeting or one-on-one with reflective questions such as:

• “What are you taking away from this discussion?”
• “What will be your first step after this?”

By inviting ownership, you shift from commanding results to inspiring action.

Final thoughts

As Steve Jobs once said, “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” In the workplace of 2025–2030, leadership communication will embody this principle – not as a tool for merely transmitting information, but for transforming relationships, trust, and outcomes.

I strongly believe that High performers don’t just speak; they profoundly listen, connect, inspire, and empower others to grow and take action.

What stories will you tell – and what questions will you ask – to shape the future of your team and organisation?