A couple of rednecks are out in the woods hunting when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing; his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls 911. He gasps to the operator, “My friend is dead; what can I do?” The operator, in a calm, soothing voice says, “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence…then a shot is heard. The hunter says, “OK, now what?”

Sometimes things can get lost in translation. Communication can be a leader’s best friend or worst nightmare if they fail to do it. Most issues that arise in an organization are due to poor communication. One person says something, but the other interprets it differently. In order for a team to work together, there must be clear communication between everyone.

When the Green Bay Packers football team hired Vince Lombardi as its new coach, he was intrigued by the challenge of turning the franchise around. He began leading practices, inspiring, training and motivating. But at one point in a practice, he got so frustrated with what was going on with the players that he finally blew the whistle. “Everybody stop and gather around,” he said. Then he knelt down, picked up the pigskin, and said, “Let’s start at the beginning. This is a football. These are the yard markers. I’m the coach. You are the players.” He went on, in the most elementary of ways, to explain the basics of football. Coach Lombardi had to bring clarity to what the team needed to do.

Leaders are clear about what needs to be done in order to get to where they need to go. They navigate a clear course of action to their target. It’s the clarity of a vision brings a team together in unity. It is when things get unclear and muddy that confusion begins to set in. Unclear expectations produce unmet results. If it’s a mist from the leader, it is a fog to the team. A leader must communicate precisely what he/she wants.

A leader must communicate three vital things with their team:

1. Vision

Without vision, there is no target. Without a target, no one knows what to aim for. You must, therefore, know where you are going in order to stir others to go with you. Vision always precedes action. The more compelling the vision, the more committed people will be. Leaders paint a picture of what could be for the future, and it drives others to its fulfillment.

2. Expectations

Leaders give others expectations. When you communicate your belief in someone’s potential, they will do their best to meet that expectation. The best leaders are the ones who give people a great reputation to live up to. Wal-Mart Founder, Sam Walton knew this principle which led him to say, “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”

3. Urgency

Leaders communicate what is at stake when it comes to vision and this causes action. They inspire people to be agents of change. They believe that if they do not step up to do what needs to be done, who will? In order for a team to move forward, there must be an urgency that drives them otherwise they will procrastinate in their efforts. Urgency is created by laying out a clear plan of action that encompasses vision, expectations, and deadlines.