January 2026

Leaders in health and human service organizations should not treat communication assessments as one more task to squeeze into an already overloaded schedule; they should bring in an external partner to do this work thoroughly and objectively. When senior leaders try to “DIY” a communication assessment, it often gets rushed, filtered through internal politics, and limited to whoever has time to respond, which hides real problems and reinforces blind spots. Trust me on this one . . . I've seen it!

An outside consultant can dedicate focused time, use unique methods, and gather honest feedback from staff and community members who might not speak as freely to internal leadership, producing clearer findings and give more practical recommendations. It may sound like a sales pitch, but the reality is that a thoughtfully-planned assessment often pays for itself.

If money is a concern, you can start with a tightly-defined, short-term engagement focused on one high-impact area, such as one department, one program, or a single communication channel.

In health and human service organizations, communication is not a “soft” skill; it is a core operational system that affects everything from safety to staff retention. Regular communication assessments help you see where messages are breaking down between executives, front-line staff, and the people they serve, so they can fix problems before they turn into crises. When communication is clear and consistent, staff waste less time clarifying directions, correcting errors, and managing misunderstandings, which directly reduces overtime, rework, and burnout.