Bridging the Clarity Gap: Why Your Team Is Confused (and What to Do About It)
Let’s talk about something sneaky that shows up in nearly every group practice: you think you’re being clear… but your team is still confused. It’s called the clarity gap, and it’s way more common (and destructive) than most people realize.
You’ve probably been there—you explain something, maybe even twice, and still find yourself thinking, “Why the hell aren’t they getting it?” Spoiler alert: it’s not always them. Sometimes, it’s the gap between what you meant to say and what actually landed.
Let’s unpack where this breakdown comes from, how to spot it, and what to do instead.
What the Clarity Gap Actually Is
The clarity gap is that irritating little space between what you think you’ve communicated and what your team actually heard. It’s like adult telephone game, minus the giggles and plus the project delays. And it can quietly tank alignment, productivity, and trust if you don’t call it out and clean it up.
Why You Think You’re Being Clear (But You’re Not)
Living in your own head: You’re constantly thinking through stuff—problems, ideas, solutions. You assume everyone else has been along for the ride in your brain, but spoiler: they haven’t.
Verbal processing doesn’t equal shared clarity: You talk things out (maybe with a friend, a partner, or even ChatGPT), hit your own clarity, and assume everyone else has the same understanding. They don’t.
What’s obvious to you isn’t obvious to them: Just because something feels like common sense to you doesn’t mean it’s common knowledge to your team. It might be brand new for them—and that disconnect? That’s your job to bridge.
Signs Your Team is Confused (and Probably Not Telling You)
You’re repeating yourself over and over again. Deadlines are being missed or don’t make sense with priorities. You’re solving way more problems than you should be. Your team seems meh, passive, or confused. And sometimes, someone will straight-up tell you: “I didn’t know that was a priority.” That last one stings—but it’s also gold. Use it.
Where Clarity Typically Breaks Down
Your vision isn’t being shared or repeated enough. (Once is not enough.) Roles are overlapping or vague as hell. Meetings are meandering, confusing, or pointless. And expectations? They’re being assumed, not clearly stated. These are easy to fix—but only if you know to look for them.
Action Step: Audit Your Team
Want something actionable? Audit your team. Assume you have clear roles and values. Then use a values analysis to rate your team and run everyone through the GWC filter. If you hesitate on any answer, it’s a no. Harsh but helpful.
Final Thoughts
The clarity gap isn’t personal—it’s structural. But if you don’t address it, it’ll keep biting you (and your team) in the ass. Take this as your cue to look at where communication is slipping, where expectations are being assumed, and where your team might be silently flailing. Small tweaks in how you communicate can lead to massive changes in how your team functions.
Want support in creating a culture that actually gets it? Join the Culture Focused Practice Membership, hop on the EOS Mastermind waitlist, or come hang out in The EOS Collective for Group Practices. You don’t have to figure this out alone—and you definitely don’t have to become a micromanaging monster to lead well.
About the Author
Dr. Tara Vossenkemper is a gently-candid consultant who’s been in the trenches of group practice ownership since 2017. With a hearty blend of depth, irreverence, and a solid dash of humor (or so she hopes), Tara helps practice owners navigate the can-be-messy process of hiring, culture-building, vision generating, people-y issues, and all the other things that keep you up at night. When she’s not consulting, she’s probably wrangling her animals or homeschooling her kids—because why not add more chaos to the mix?
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