Hey there, nonprofit leaders, tell me if this sounds familiar…
You leave a staff meeting thinking, “Yes! We’re totally aligned. Everyone’s got it.”
Then 48 hours later, your inbox tells a different story.
Half the team took your idea and sprinted in one direction.
Another half politely waited for more instructions.
And one person… somehow started building an entirely new project.
You sit back, reread your own notes, and think, “How did we get here? I was so clear!”
That’s today’s topic — the moment when we realize: what we said isn’t always what people heard.
Whether it’s a staff member, your board, or a partner — clarity gaps happen everywhere.
And as leaders, we can’t afford to keep losing time, trust, and energy to mixed messages.
So today, we’re going to unpack why this happens, how to spot it early, and practical ways to bridge the clarity gap — before it turns into conflict or confusion.
A few months ago, my son Jake — who was 19 at the time — and I did a mobile order from my phone at our local Starbucks.
It was one of those Starbucks stores that sits on the edge of a big shopping center parking lot. We parked right in front. The front door was practically staring at us.
I handed Jake his mission: “Run in and grab our order, please.”
Easy peasy, right?
He hops out of the car while I check my phone for messages. Five minutes pass. Then ten. By the twelve-minute mark, I’m thinking, Did Starbucks run out of coffee beans?
Finally, Jake comes walking back across the parking lot looking slightly sheepish… and holding no coffee.
He says, “Ohhh… I thought you meant the Starbucks inside King Soopers.”
Yep. He had marched right past the Starbucks directly in front of us — past the Einstein’s Bagels, the Marshalls, the PetSmart, and the dry cleaners — all the way to the Starbucks kiosk inside the grocery store.
And of course, that one didn’t have our mobile order.
That, my friends, is the tale of two Starbucks. Same parking lot. Two totally different destinations.
☕ And today’s episode is brewed around one of my favorite real-life leadership lessons: what a Starbucks mix-up can teach us about effective communication with our teams and boards.
So here’s the leadership tie-in:
I thought my directions were clear. But Jake heard something different.
And instead of ending up with hot lattes in hand, we ended up with cold mugs, confusion, and a little frustration.
Nonprofit CEO-ED Clarity = Staff Alignment
So why does this happen — in life and in leadership?
Because we assume that what’s obvious to us is obvious to everyone else.
In that moment, I was picturing the Starbucks right in front of me. Jake was picturing the one that made sense to him. Both logical. Both based on our own perspectives.
That’s exactly what happens in organizations.
We say “let’s move faster,” and one department hears “work longer hours,” while another hears “cut the approval steps.”
We say “focus on culture,” and one team starts scheduling retreats while another team drafts new policies.
It’s not misbehavior, it’s misinterpretation.
And as CEOs and Executive Directors, our job isn’t just to communicate…it’s to confirm mutual understanding.
Because clarity isn’t what we say. Clarity is what they hear.
3 Reasons Why Communication Breaks Down
1️. Assumption of shared context.
We think everyone knows the “why.” They don’t. They know their piece, but not the full puzzle.
2. Emotional tone mismatch.
We say something casually that lands as urgent, or something urgent that sounds optional.
3️. Vague language.
“Let’s revisit.” “We should.” “Make it better.”
None of those phrases define ownership, timeline, or results.
Specificity doesn’t kill creativity — it frees it.
Continuing my Starbucks story theme…how do you make sure your nonprofit team walks into the right store?
- Name the exact Starbucks.
- Instead of “Grab the report,” say, “Please pull the donor retention report from Salesforce, Q3 only, and email it by Thursday at noon.”
- Double-check the order.
- After giving instructions, ask: “Can you repeat back what you heard?” It’s not patronizing… it’s alignment. Think of it like reading back the order at the counter.
- Define what “done” means.
- Is “done” a rough draft? Is it board-ready? Is it a skinny vanilla latte with oat milk or just “a coffee”? Clarity reduces rework.
Spark Plug Shift
Don’t assume clarity. Co-create it. Clarity isn’t a monologue; it’s a dialogue.
Next time you communicate a big decision, go one step further and create alignment:
“Let’s make sure we’re all picturing the same outcome. What do you each see happening next?”
That one sentence can save weeks of spinning, confusion, and frustration.
Remember, communication is your greatest leadership tool. Use it to empower and energize your people, not to overwhelm them.
Because when you co-create clarity, you build alignment. And aligned leaders empower productive teams.
Now, had I taken this advice when it came to my son getting our Starbucks orders, our vanilla lattes would have been piping hot how we like it.
Thanks for joining me today on Nonprofit CEO SPARK. Until next time keep leading with heart and protect your spark.