Why unclear writing is rarely just a communication problem.
Clear writing is not a stylistic preference.
It’s a cognitive signal.
When writing is clear, it usually means thinking is clear.
When writing is bloated, tangled, or evasive, something upstream is unresolved.
In most organizations, unclear writing is an early warning sign of eroding organizational clarity.
This matters more than most leaders realize.
Unclear writing doesn’t just confuse readers.
It slows decisions, masks misalignment, and quietly erodes trust.
Clear Writing Is a Byproduct, Not a Skill
Most people treat clear writing as a talent. Some people “have it.” Others don’t.
That’s the wrong framing.
Clear writing is the result of:
- Clear intent
- Clear decisions
- Clear ownership of meaning
When those are missing, no amount of editing will fix the output.
This is why unclear writing often shows up during moments of stress: change initiatives, restructures, transformations. The system is thinking in fragments, and the writing reflects it.
What Unclear Writing Is Really Signaling
In consulting work, I’ve learned to read unclear writing diagnostically.
Long sentences packed with qualifiers usually signal fear of being wrong.
Overuse of jargon often signals lack of shared understanding.
Passive voice tends to signal unclear ownership or decision rights.
In other words, unclear writing is rarely about the writer’s ability.
It’s about the environment they’re operating in.
The Myth of “More Detail”
When clarity is low, organizations often respond by adding more words.
The response is usually the same: more context, more background, more caveats.
It feels safer. It feels responsible.
But more detail doesn’t equal more clarity. In fact, it often does the opposite.
Clear writing is selective.
It chooses what not to say.
That requires thinking that is already disciplined.
Clear Writing Forces Decisions
You cannot write clearly without deciding:
- What matters most
- What can wait
- What the reader actually needs to know
This is why clear writing feels uncomfortable in some organizations.
Clear writing doesn’t just communicate decisions.
It forces them.
This is why the Clarity Framework™ starts with diagnosis before messaging.
Why Leaders Should Care
Leaders often ask for “better communication” when what they need is better thinking.
Clear writing:
- Accelerates decision-making
- Reduces rework and clarification loops
- Builds confidence during uncertainty
Unclear writing does the opposite. It creates the illusion of alignment while people quietly interpret meaning for themselves.
That’s not a writing issue.
That’s a leadership risk.
Writing as a Clarity Practice
Organizations that write clearly tend to:
- Diagnose before they announce
- Align leaders before they cascade
- Value understanding over optics
They treat writing as a thinking tool, not a delivery mechanism.
Clear writing is not about sounding polished.
It’s about being honest with the reader, and with yourself.
Final Thought
If writing feels hard, it’s often because something hasn’t been fully thought through yet.
Instead of pushing harder on the words, pause and ask:
- What am I unclear about?
- What decision hasn’t been made?
- What am I trying to protect?
Clear writing is clarity, made visible.
FAQs
Clear writing reflects clear thinking because writing forces decisions. You can’t write clearly without choosing what matters, what’s true, and what the reader needs. When writing is vague or bloated, it often signals unresolved intent, misalignment, or unclear decision-making.
Unclear writing is common when people feel pressure to sound safe, diplomatic, or “aligned.” Jargon, passive voice, and excessive detail often show up when decision rights are unclear, strategy is shifting, or leaders haven’t agreed on a single story.
Clear writing reduces interpretation. It makes ownership, actions, and trade-offs explicit. That shortens decision cycles, reduces rework, and prevents people from filling in gaps with assumptions.
Not really. Clear writing is a leadership and organizational skill. Communication teams can improve structure and readability, but true clarity requires leaders to align on intent, narrative, and decisions before anything is written.
Start by diagnosing what’s unclear before drafting. Align leaders on the core story, define who decides what, and be explicit about what’s changing and what isn’t. Then write in plain language with clear verbs, concrete actions, and minimal qualifiers.
About Ana Magana
Ana Magana is a strategic communications and change management consultant based in Calgary, Alberta. She helps organizations navigate transformation with clarity, narrative integrity, and human-centered strategy through her signature Clarity Framework™.
Subscribe to The Clarity Line for more insights on human-centered communication.