Short answer
Communication means sharing information clearly, listening to understand, and adapting the message to the audience and situation so people can act.
About Communication
Shares information clearly, listens actively, and adapts messaging to the audience and context. This definition is portable across Functions because it focuses on whether others can understand, respond, and act.
Use this competency for
- Assessing written and spoken information that supports decisions, coordination, and delivery.
- Setting expectations for listening, audience awareness, and timely updates.
Do not use this competency for
- Do not use it to score accent, confidence, sociability, or a preferred communication style.
Important distinctions
Collaboration
Communication concerns how information is exchanged. Collaboration concerns how people combine contributions toward a shared outcome.
Reliability
Communication can expose a commitment at risk, while reliability evaluates whether agreed expectations are met predictably.
Expectations by level
IC1
Clear updates on defined work
Communicates clearly about well-defined own work, with guidance on unfamiliar audiences or sensitive situations.
Observable behaviors
- Shares progress, decisions, and blockers through the agreed channel.
- Asks clarifying questions and reflects back important requirements.
- Uses enough context for the immediate audience to take the next step.
Examples
- Posts an update that names completed work, the blocker, and the help needed.
- Confirms an unclear request before starting the task.
IC2
Independent communication across partners
Independently plans communication for ambiguous work involving several partners and adjusts detail, timing, and format to their needs.
Observable behaviors
- Tailors a message to the decisions and context of each audience.
- Surfaces material changes or disagreement before they disrupt delivery.
- Synthesizes discussion into a clear decision, owner, and next step.
Examples
- Sends different summaries to implementers and decision makers after the same review.
- Documents a changed decision and checks that affected partners saw it.
IC3
Communication for complex shared work
Shapes communication for complex work across teams, creating shared understanding where audiences, risks, or viewpoints differ.
Observable behaviors
- Creates a communication approach for work with several affected groups.
- Makes unresolved trade-offs and dissent visible without misrepresenting views.
- Establishes reusable records or practices that reduce repeated clarification.
Examples
- Facilitates a cross-team decision and publishes the rationale and open questions.
- Introduces a shared update format after recurring handoff confusion.