In professional communication, especially when stakes are high, even the most well-intended instructions can be misinterpreted. This post has a valuable lesson in managing expectations and preparation for high-visibility company events.

The Setup

Once upon a time, we held a company-wide meeting focused on a key technical topic, let’s call it “Topic X.” To showcase real-world application, I recommended a bright, capable engineer from my team to lead a portion of the session.

My instructions to the presenter were simple:

1. Target Audience: Remember this is a general company audience, not just the engineering team. Keep it accessible.
2. Format: “Keep the demo crisp and relevant.”

The intention was clear to me: Have a concise presentation or demo with visual aids that highlights the key takeaways for non-specialists.

The Miscommunication

During the session, things quickly went awry. The presenter, though knowledgeable, ran significantly over the allotted time, requiring an awkward interruption. Worse, there was no visual demo or presentation material whatsoever, just continuous, deep-dive verbal explanation.

In the moment, the contrast between the expectation and the reality was stark. The audience quickly disengaged.

Stepping back, I had to ask: What part of my communication failed?

It appears my instruction to “Keep the demo crisp” was interpreted not as make the visual segment brief, but as forego the visuals entirely and just summarize the concepts verbally. The word “demo” itself might have been mentally filed as optional background context rather than a required, visual centerpiece.

The Takeaways for Better Communication

The responsibility for clear communication ultimately rests with the delegator. This experience highlighted two critical steps I missed, which were non-negotiable for future company-wide engagements:

1. Define “Crisp” and “Relevant” Visually

Abstract instructions are dangerous. Moving forward, I replaced vague directives with concrete requirements.

• Vague: “Keep the demo crisp.”
• Concrete: “We need a visual presentation (slides/video) limited to 5 minutes maximum that shows steps A, B, and C, and explains the business impact.”

2. Mandatory Material Review (The “Pre-Flight Check”)

In the rush of a busy week, I had trusted that the instruction alone would suffice. This was the biggest oversight. For any high-stakes, cross-functional presentation where I am the sponsor, a mandatory review is essential.

• The New Standard: Before the presenter is signed off, I will require a full review of all presentation materials (slides, scripts, or demo flow) 24-48 hours in advance. This serves as a final quality check on content, time management, and audience appropriateness.

Conclusion

I communicated to my management chain that I own the oversight and that new measures would be put in place.

Communication is never a finished product. It’s a continuous calibration of expectations, and sometimes, a visible communication breakdown is exactly what you need to sharpen your process.

The lesson is learned: Trust, but always verify the preparation for company-wide visibility.

What is your experience with communication gaps in delegation?