A Harvard Business Review article reveals that ineffective internal communications cost US organisations $2 trillion annually in time and productivity, with executives admitting they were never taught to communicate effectively.
If leaders struggle with effective communication, then you would, too. You might think you know your communication weaknesses, or perhaps people have pointed out some gaps. But unless you’ve been given a structured framework to objectively identify them across different domains, you’re just guessing what you’re great at or might struggle with.
For almost a decade, I’ve facilitated communication programmes and interacted with 1,000+ professionals across industries at the prestigious, Financial Times-ranked Lagos Business School. And what I’ve discovered is that four communication blind spots derail even the smartest professionals and inspiring leaders.
Blind Spot #1: Thinking your nonverbal communication and interpersonal skills are ‘good enough’ to get results
Blind Spot #2: Believing your speaking and presentation skills demonstrate overall communication competence
Blind Spot #3: Assuming your writing is clear, specific, and therefore, persuasive
Blind Spot #4: Believing your leadership communication automatically leads to influence
Why not knowing your communication blind spots stalls professional development and undermines results
Poor communication is the silent killer of professional growth.
Despite observing encouraging patterns: persuasive communication boosting visibility, powerful speaking signalling influence, and leaders making the complex simple, I realised an unusual development:
People had little to no baseline measure of their communication competence at work. That’s why I explained that understanding your audience is the first step to influencing them.
Imagine losing that promotion not because of your expertise, but because of one communication blind spot. Now imagine you knew what that blind spot was and how to fix it.
Here’s the crux of the matter:
You can’t fix what you don’t know. And being in denial about your less-than-stellar nonverbal and interpersonal skills, average speaking/writing chops, or uninspiring leadership communication is costing you opportunities or negating your impact.
The impact on the audience
A) For professionals
Not knowing your communication weaknesses loses you that promotion. Because you don’t effectively highlight your impact, your manager doubts your readiness for the next level. You become ‘boxed in’ a function that no longer fulfils you.
B) For executives
Not pinpointing your communication gaps reduces support for critical projects. As a result, you don’t display the required skills to persuade in speech, writing, during one-on-one interactions, in groups, or in virtual contexts. The preventable issue leads to professional stagnation.
C) For leaders
Not considering your communication problems diminishes your influence in your industry or across regions. This negative outcome is because you don’t inspire or account for cultural sensitivity. And since your communication range is doubtful, you’ll unlikely be selected for board positions or cross-regional assignments.
D) For recruiters, L&D specialists, and succession planners
Not addressing the communication blind spots of talent weakens business results and creates costly mismatches. You run a high risk of placing technically strong talent with limited communication capabilities in roles that require influencing skills in this AI age. This grave error leads to poor execution, disengaged teams, and wasted L&D investment.
The two-pronged problem:
1) You must identify communication blind spots and baselines across those four critical segments.
2) You must know the specific practices that will close the gaps over time.
That’s why the culturally sensitive and globally relevant Global 4-Domain Communication Skills Rating Tool solves the problem in two steps:
Step 1: It reveals communication gaps and evaluates baseline levels.
Step 2: It provides practical insights for improving targeted areas.
Why a comprehensive communication skills assessment was impossible — until now
Most communication skills assessments cover one, two, or (at most) three communication domains. Therefore, their limited scope doesn’t account for specific scenarios, such as:
I) How do you measure nonverbal communication skills and interpersonal effectiveness across cultures?
Hint: Strong eye contact, a signal of confidence in the US, is disrespectful in Saudi Arabia.
II) How do you speak to generate support for important initiatives?
Hint: The direct style accepted in the Netherlands differs from the norms in Sweden.
III) How do you assess business writing impact, not just grammar, but also logic and flow (with or without your favourite AI tools)?
Hint: The formal style expected in Nigeria changes in Canada.
IV) How do you evaluate leadership communication influence objectively?
Hint: The surprising leadership communication approach that gets you results in Hong Kong must adapt to a particular style in New Zealand.
So, the ultimate challenge rarely addressed is integrating those four communication domains in one complete, bias-free, and culturally intelligent assessment. And that’s where the Global 4-Domain Communication Skills Rating differs from existing evaluations.
Conclusion
You may be a professional, executive, or leader, serious about your professional development.
Or, you may be a recruiter or succession planner helping organisations to select the right talent to boost effectiveness and sharpen business results.
Whatever your focus, stop guessing where your skills lie.
Realise that to correctly identify communication blind spots, measure baselines, and close gaps with practical applications, you need to transition to the Global 4-Domain Communication Skills Rating Tool.
A new dawn in communication skills evaluation has arrived. Don’t be left behind.
Ready to stop guessing your communication blind spots so you ensure your professional growth and amplify your impact?
Then join the select group of professionals, executives, leaders, recruiters, and L&D/succession planners helping to set the global benchmark for communication skills evaluation.
As part of the beta, you’ll gain the complete assessment, comprehensive insights, and exclusive thought leadership access. Beta slots are open until 30 September, after which the Global 4-Domain Communication Skills Rating Tool will become unavailable until the public launch
Help to shape the new standard in communication skills assessment.
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N.B: All images are courtesy of Lucille Ossai.