According to research shared by Forbes, Fierce Inc and Sociabble, 86% of employees and executives say poor internal communication causes workplace failures.
Eighty-six percent. Nearly nine out of ten.
That’s not a side issue - that’s the root cause of something far bigger.
So why is something so fundamental still going wrong?
Most people still think of “internal comms” as newsletters, updates or intranets. But communication isn’t about tools - it’s about trust.
When it’s strong, it aligns, informs and inspires.
When it’s weak, it breeds confusion, duplication and frustration.
We see it all the time - talented, committed people underperforming, not because they lack ability, but because they’re working with half the picture.
Here’s where it breaks down:
❌ Siloed messaging – Different teams, different truths.
❌ No feedback loops – Comms as broadcast, not conversation.
❌ Fuzzy narrative – “We’re transforming,” but no one knows what that means for them.
Poor comms doesn’t just make things “a bit harder.” It’s a silent productivity drain - duplicated work, delayed decisions, lost morale.
And when leaders say “we don’t have time for comms”, they’re actually creating more work, not less.
Watch me Peter Cronin, Kate Goodman CIIC and Andy Martin (Stellantis Performance Academy) on the recording of Talking Local: “Internal Comms - Your Brand on the Inside, as we explore how to make comms a driver of performance - not a drag on it.
Have you ever seen a project fail because of poor communication? Let's talk about how we could prevent that from ever happening again.