Proactivity in Communication: Building Trust and Efficiency
Proactive communication builds trust by making sure people always know they'll be informed when it matters.
Are you waiting to be asked — or are you leading the conversation? In this episode of Leadership With a Twist, Heather McGonigal and Barbara Schindler dig into one of the most powerful and often overlooked leadership communication skills: proactive communication.
If your boss is coming to you for updates, you've already moved too slow. Heather and Barbara share practical, actionable guidance on how to get one step ahead — sharing information before it's asked for, closing the loop on delegated projects, and creating a communication rhythm that builds trust at every level of your organization.
In this episode you will learn:
- Why proactive communication is a trust-building superpower for leaders and team members alike
- How to distinguish between micromanaging and generously sharing resources
- How proactive updates protect your supervisor's credibility and set them up for success
- How to build update checkpoints into your delegation process to eliminate open loops
- How to co-create a communication rhythm with your supervisor that fits your current season
Whether you're a senior leader, a team manager, or an individual contributor, this episode gives you a clear framework for becoming the kind of communicator people trust — without feeling like you're over-reporting or stepping on toes.
Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a leader you believe in.
00:00 Welcome and Topic
00:40 One Step Ahead Updates
02:41 Sharing Down Builds Safety
03:58 Resources Not Afterthoughts
06:14 Close Loops With Delegation
08:12 Micromanaging Versus Support
13:56 Update Agreements and Cadence
16:27 Avoid Empty Reports
18:17 Key Takeaways and Coaching
About the Hosts: Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment.
Need support implementing these ideas?
Book a Coffee Chat: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat
Weekly Leadership With a Twist Newsletter: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/huddle-subscribe
Subscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations.
Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post.
Cheering You On!
