Coach the Message, Not Just the Messenger: Helping New Leaders Navigate Sensitive Communication
Congratulations, you’ve just promoted someone into leadership. They’re fired up, full of ideas, and… about to overshare compensation changes with their team before HR even finishes the FAQ.
Sound familiar?
New leaders often confuse transparency with a full data dump. It’s not their fault—they want to be honest and helpful. But part of growing into leadership is learning when to speak, what to share, and how to communicate with clarity and control. And that's where coaching comes in.
Key Takeaways for Coaching New Leaders:
Start with "Why" (But Keep It Off Teams & Slack)
Help them understand the why behind discretion. Trust isn’t built by saying everything; it’s built by saying the right things, the right way, at the right time.Use Role Play (Seriously)
Walk them through scenarios. “What would you say if someone asked you about those rumored bonus changes?” Make it a safe space to stumble.Teach the Trust Spectrum
Sharing everything with a team doesn’t automatically build trust. Sometimes it erodes it. Trust also looks like protecting sensitive information until it's official.Give Them the ‘Headlines’ Strategy
Encourage them to think in headlines, not novels. What’s the main message? What’s their job in delivering it?Coach Them on "Pause and Clarify"
When in doubt, pause. If it’s not their announcement to make, help them see that asking for clarity from leadership or HR is a power move, not a weak one.
Wrap-Up:
Every new leader is going to slip at some point—it’s part of the learning curve. Your job as their coach? Help them see that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about being the clearest. And sometimes, the quietest.
