Being specific in communication is a serious skill. Lots of time would be saved per day in companies if people communicated specifically.
Why is it important to communicate specifically?
To answer this question, let’s understand what happens when you don’t communicate specifically.
Here’s an example:
A middle manager at an agency is supposed to send an update every 2-3 hours to her manager about the production status. The project involves delivering a specific daily output for a client, and therefore, she’s responsible for monitoring the activity and reporting on it.
Here’s an update she sends:
Output so far (after the first 4 hours have passed): 12/50
Status: Behind schedule
What do you think happens once the senior manager sees this update?
Let me tell you – a series of questions.
- Why are we behind schedule?
- What are we doing to solve this issue?
- Why did you not raise an alarm until now?
And then the middle manager replies:
We’re behind schedule because one of our resources is on leave. I’m personally in touch with the rest of the team and trying to get the tasks done quickly.
Did the senior manager get enough clarity from this answer? No.
Guess what happens next? You’re right – more questions. By now, it’s very much possible that the senior’s patience has left the scene.
This is a very common scenario in companies. When you leave the specificity out of communication, you give ample space to time waste and frustration. Not to mention the lack of judgment you display because of this.
Now, let’s take the same example and see what happens if the update was specific in the first go.
Output so far (after the first 4 hours have passed): 12/50
Status: Behind schedule
Explanation:
- The output is usually 25-30 at this hour.
- Today, it’s 12 at this hour because one of our team members is on sick leave, and they usually deliver X tasks in a day. Their unavailability impacted the speed.
- I’ve contacted my colleague Joe and borrowed capacity from their project. By X hour, I’m expecting the output to reach Y.
- I’ll monitor the progress hourly and keep you in the loop. We also have a buffer of usable tasks, which will be used in the worst-case scenario. So, we should be all covered for today.
Obviously, this update will take the middle manager a bit more time to write. But just look at the difference it makes because of the specificity factor.
She explained what happened, why it happened, what she was doing to handle the situation, and what to expect next.
Why does this matter to the senior manager?
- It shows that the middle manager has a clear handle on the situation
- The clarity is noticeable – and genuinely appreciated (yes, really)
- It builds trust in the middle manager’s judgment because the senior now has enough context to assess the decision
- If support is needed, they know exactly how and where they can step in
- If they have a better idea, they can quickly compare both approaches and suggest improvements
What happens when communication lacks specificity?
- The time that should be used for solving an issue at hand goes into back and forth between the involved parties
- There’s an erosion of trust, especially in the judgment quality
- People actively avoid interaction with vague communicators as they perceive them as time-wasters
- This may even lead to decision fatigue, adding stress to an already stressful situation
How to train yourself (and your team) to be specific
Learning to be specific, fortunately, is no rocket science.
Here’s a quick thought exercise you can run before hitting “send” on your next message:
- Will my manager understand this without needing too many follow-up questions?
- What do they generally care about when I convey a problem?
- Have I covered the points they care about in my message?
- If I am seeking their help, have I clarified what I need?
- If there’s a lot of info, have I highlighted the most important bits?
- Which part of this message, if removed, will not change its meaning or effect?
Yes, this might seem like a lot to consider. And many people won’t bother because, well, they’re “too busy.” Ironically, that busyness leads to the very communication gaps that waste everyone’s time later.
But here’s the upside: once you build the habit, this process becomes second nature. You won’t have to pause and think through each question – your brain will start structuring messages with clarity by default.
Another useful habit is paying close attention to how your manager responds when you share problems. Over time, you’ll start to notice what details they consistently ask for or focus on. Once you recognize those patterns, start including that information upfront. The more proactive you become, the more specific your communication will naturally get.
