Use World Communication Week to sharpen how your teams really talk

It can feel like there’s a week for just about everything. But World Communication Week (Nov 1–7) is one worth paying attention to.

Because communication isn’t a soft skill. It’s a survival skill.  When teams don’t communicate well, everything takes longer. When leaders don’t communicate clearly, priorities get lost. And when companies ignore communication culture, they quietly erode trust.

So instead of sending out another well-meaning Slack message, use this week to actually improve how your teams communicate—without turning it into a heavy lift.

1. Start with a quick audit

You don’t need a full strategy review. Just get a sense of what’s working (and what’s not).

• What tools are people using most—and which ones are being ignored?
• Where are projects slowing down due to unclear communication?
• When do messages get missed or misunderstood?

Run a pulse survey or gather a few quick insights from managers. World Communication Week is a great excuse to ask, “Where is communication costing us time, energy or clarity?”

2. Make the invisible visible

Most communication norms go unspoken. And that’s the problem.

Use this week to surface and name the communication culture you want to build. That might include:

• Clear expectations on response times and escalation
• Guidelines for email vs. Slack vs. meetings
• Feedback norms (e.g., ask before giving advice, clarify before reacting)

A short memo or 15-minute team session is enough to get the conversation started. The goal isn’t to create rules—it’s to create alignment.

3. Create low-risk spaces to practice

It’s one thing to understand communication concepts. It’s another to apply them when the stakes are high.

Give people a space to practice before they’re in the middle of a tough conversation. That might look like:

• Short roleplays during lunch or team huddles
• Peer coaching conversations guided by prompt cards
• Manager-specific sessions on handling conflict or feedback

Or, for something more scalable and realistic: Electives AI Simulations let people practice high-pressure conversations (like tough feedback or team misalignment) in a safe, solo environment—getting feedback immediately.

That kind of practice builds confidence before the moment actually matters.

4. Encourage reflection and real-time feedback

Communication is about what’s heard as it is about what’s said. So once you introduce a new norm or run a learning moment, follow it with a simple check-in:

• “What did you try this week that worked?”
• “What felt awkward—and what made it better?”
• “What’s one thing you wish your manager or team would try?”

This turns communication into a shared skill, not a solo project… And it gives managers a chance to model vulnerability and curiosity—two things every healthy communication culture needs more of.

5. Build momentum with small, visible habits

No one needs a 12-point communication playbook. But one or two small habits can have a big impact. Try introducing:

• A “clarity check” at the end of team meetings
• Shared team definitions of urgency (“ASAP” means by end of day)
• Weekly comms highlights to share good examples

Or set up a rotating spotlight in your internal newsletter where teams share what’s working for them. The more visible good communication becomes, the more likely it spreads.

World Communication Week is the reminder—what happens next is what matters

You don’t need to brand a campaign or create an event series. Just use this week as a reminder to focus on one thing every team uses every day: communication.

It’s not about overhauling systems. It’s about tightening how people work together… And giving them the tools to do it well, no matter where or how they work.

Because when teams talk better, they perform better. And when leaders communicate with clarity, culture follows.

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