“Let’s Not Get Into Details” Sounds Simple, But It May Be the Real Reason Work Feels So Confusing

In most workplaces across the United States, one tends to hear supervisors and other work-related personnel utter the phrase “let’s not get into details” on a number of occasions within the work environment. The phrase may not be harmful or unproductive in any way; however, it has created a situation in which the workforce is not quite sure what is expected of them.

The phrase may not be the problem; rather, it is a communication gap that is not based on the intent and purpose of the communication.

How vague instructions play out at work

When supervisors fail to provide sufficient information, the end result is that the employee will continue asking follow-up questions, only to be told they are thinking too much and to move forward. However, this leads to a vicious cycle where the task is undertaken without sufficient knowledge, which in turn leads to failures.

According to Psychology Today, the barriers to effective communication in the workplace arise from psychological barriers that do not permit the leader to communicate the whole truth, no matter how beneficial it is.

Psychology Today explains that when the information provided is not clear, the end result is a lack of understanding, which leads to inefficiencies since the employee does not have the context to move forward. These inefficiencies accumulate to become major problems for the whole team.

Why supervisors avoid getting into details

There are several reasons why managers prefer to remain vague in their communication, and one of them is their avoidance of uncomfortable situations or explanations. At times, managers may have to face situations in which they have to clarify their points, which can also lead to admitting their doubts or giving negative feedback.

A study published in PubMed Central points out that avoidance in communication is often associated with feelings of discomfort in handling conflicts or negative responses from people, which makes managers prefer to remain silent or avoid giving information.

Managers also use corporate buzzwords or general statements instead of giving proper guidance, which can also make their communication sound good but lack proper substance.

Vague statements, as explained in PlanetSpark, can also reduce the effectiveness of communication by failing to clarify the message to the recipients properly.

The psychological impact on employees

Not receiving clear instructions not only affects the workflow, but it also affects how the employee feels about his or her job. In instances where expectations are not clearly defined, employees tend to feel stressed or anxious since they are not sure if they are performing to the expected standard.

According to Government Executive, receiving vague feedback and unclear direction can also prove to be very destructive to employees since they do not have a clear idea of their success or failure.

On another note, employees have to use their minds to figure out exactly what their manager wants from them, which affects their mental abilities to concentrate on meaningful work.

LaborSync points out that this mental strain makes them unable to make decisions or even make mistakes since they do not have clear guidance from their manager.

Communication gaps and unresolved problems

When information is consistently not provided, gaps in communication start to emerge, and small problems that could have been solved early on remain unsolved. This can cause employees to move forward under wrong assumptions, leading to problems that will be solved much later on.

Psychology Today states, “Communication barriers such as unclear language or a lack of information make it impossible for teams to get on the same page, making it harder for them to collaborate and be productive in general.”

These gaps in communication are not intentional but still cause problems in teams.

The effect on productivity and morale

The long-term effects of ambiguous instructions can be observed in terms of productivity and morale. A team of employees without clear instructions will spend more time correcting mistakes and less time making progress.

According to LaborSync, a company specializing in workforce management, employees who do not receive clear instructions will experience a disruption in workflow continuity. This will make them less productive as they will be forced to stop and ask questions or clear ambiguities.

On the other hand, employees will start to feel unappreciated and unmanaged, which will negatively impact their morale. Government Executive indicates that employees who do not receive clear instructions will be dissatisfied and experience burnout.

How employees try to cope

In reaction to such unclear guidance, employees have come up with ways to cope with such ambiguity. For example, there are employees who continue to ask for clarifications on a particular issue. There are others who have come to record all communications to avoid being blamed for something that may have been misunderstood.

According to Government Executive, such behaviors emanate from a lack of clarity in communication. This has a tendency to cause stress to employees as they try to make sense of ambiguous communications.

Others have resorted to seeking clarifications from fellow employees. Although this may work for a while, it does not address the problem at hand. According to LaborSync, this only points to a problem with communication.

A small phrase with lasting impact

The phrase “let’s not get into details,” though seemingly harmless for the sake of moving the conversation forward, is indicative of a much broader problem with communication in the work environment. The problem is that people are sacrificing understanding for ease.

In understanding the dynamics of this problem, it becomes apparent how important direct communication is for an organization.

Employees work best within an environment where expectations are crystal clear, not left up to interpretation.