Leadership Communication: Strategies for Managing Uncertainty
Research by: Philip G. Clampitt, Robert J. DeKoch and Thomas Cashman (2000)
Communication becomes particularly important during periods of uncertainty, organisational change and business transformation.
In their research, Clampitt, DeKoch and Cashman examine how organisations communicate with employees when the future is uncertain.
They identify four communication strategies based on how leaders share information, communicate decisions and involve employees:
Spray and Pray
Tell and Sell
Underscore and Explore
Withhold and Uphold
Each approach represents a different way of managing organisational communication and employee involvement.
The Four Communication Strategies
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1. Spray and Pray
Information Overload
Concept
Leaders share large amounts of information with employees, assuming that more information will help them understand the situation and make informed decisions.
Characteristics
Distribute extensive reports, updates and documents.
Provide information without sufficient prioritisation.
Expect employees to identify what matters.
Offer limited guidance on interpreting the information.
Leadership example
During organisational restructuring, management distributes financial reports, performance updates, organisational charts, project documents and market research.
Employees receive extensive information but are left to determine its implications for their roles and the organisation.
Product marketing example
A company launches a new subscription product and communicates everything at once: product specifications, pricing, features, technical details, promotional offers, competitive comparisons and campaign information.
Customers receive extensive information but struggle to understand the main benefits and why they should choose the product.
2. Tell and Sell
Selective Persuasion
Concept
Leaders communicate selected information and attempt to persuade employees to accept management decisions, strategies or organisational changes.
Characteristics
Management controls the message.
Information is selected to support decisions.
Communication focuses on explaining and convincing.
Employee participation is limited.
Leadership example
A company decides to migrate to a new technology platform.
Management announces:
"We have decided to replace the existing platform because the new solution will improve efficiency, reduce costs and support future growth. Everyone is expected to support the transition."
The benefits are explained, but employees have limited opportunities to question the decision or influence its implementation.
Product marketing example
A company launches a new premium subscription package and focuses its marketing campaign on convincing customers to upgrade.
The messaging highlights premium features, exclusive content and promotional discounts. However, customer feedback, needs and objections receive limited attention.
3. Underscore and Explore
Focused Dialogue
Concept
Leaders communicate a few critical organisational priorities and actively explore employees' understanding, concerns and perspectives.
The approach combines focused messaging with two-way communication.
Characteristics
Communicate a few clear priorities.
Reinforce important messages.
Explain the reasons behind decisions.
Encourage questions and discussion.
Explore concerns and alternative perspectives.
Use feedback to improve implementation.
Leadership example
A company is undergoing digital transformation. The leader communicates three priorities:
Improve customer experience.
Modernise digital platforms.
Increase operational efficiency.
The leader then engages different teams and asks:
What challenges do you foresee?
What improvements would you recommend?
What risks have we overlooked?
What support does your team need?
Management evaluates the feedback and incorporates relevant suggestions into the implementation plan.
Product marketing example
A streaming company plans to launch a new subscription package.
Instead of simply promoting features and pricing, the marketing team identifies a few key customer benefits and explores customer expectations through research, surveys, focus groups and campaign feedback.
The team investigates:
Which features matter most to customers?
What prevents customers from subscribing?
How does the proposed pricing compare with customer expectations?
Which customer segments are most interested?
The insights are used to refine product positioning, pricing, messaging and promotional campaigns.
4. Withhold and Uphold
Restricted Information
Concept
Leaders deliberately restrict information sharing and communicate only when they consider it necessary, often to avoid unnecessary concern or premature disclosure.
Characteristics
Limit information sharing.
Provide updates only when considered necessary.
Communicate decisions after they are finalised.
Offer limited explanations about ongoing developments.
Leadership example
A company is considering a major restructuring. Management remains silent until decisions are finalised.
Employees notice organisational changes but receive little explanation, leading to speculation about job security, department closures and management decisions.
Product marketing example
A company is preparing to discontinue an existing product and introduce a replacement.
Management provides very little information to customers, retailers and distribution partners until the replacement is ready.
Customers may become uncertain about product availability, while partners struggle to plan inventory and marketing activities.
Comparison of the Four Strategies
The four approaches can be distinguished by their primary communication focus:
Spray and Pray: Information volume.
Tell and Sell: Persuasion.
Underscore and Explore: Dialogue and engagement.
Withhold and Uphold: Information restriction.
Each approach has different implications for employee understanding, participation and trust.
Leadership Example – Organisational Transformation
Consider a company planning a transformation involving new technology platforms, process automation and changes in employee responsibilities.
The same transformation can be communicated in four different ways:
Spray and Pray: Distribute all available transformation reports and project documents.
Tell and Sell: Announce management's decision and explain why employees should support it.
Underscore and Explore: Communicate key objectives and involve teams in identifying implementation challenges.
Withhold and Uphold: Share limited information until major decisions are finalised.
This illustrates how the communication approach influences employee involvement during organisational change.
Practical Leadership Application
Consider a company replacing its existing CMS with a modern digital platform. The implementation timeline, technical challenges and operational impact are not yet fully known.
A leader can manage the communication through five actions:
1. Communicate confirmed information
Explain why the migration is necessary.
Identify expected benefits.
Share confirmed milestones.
2. Acknowledge uncertainty
Clarify what has not been decided.
Distinguish confirmed decisions from assumptions and pending decisions.
Avoid promising unconfirmed timelines.
3. Engage stakeholders
Involve Development, UX, Product, Security and Marketing.
Understand technical and operational concerns.
Encourage alternative solutions.
4. Maintain regular communication
Provide progress updates.
Address employee questions.
Explain changes to decisions and timelines.
Identify what remains unresolved.
5. Translate feedback into action
Address relevant concerns.
Adjust implementation plans where appropriate.
Clarify responsibilities and next steps.
Communicate decisions resulting from feedback.
Questions Every Leader Should Ask
Clarity
What are the most important messages employees need to understand?
What information is confirmed?
Transparency
What do we know?
What remains uncertain?
When can we provide the next update?
Engagement
What concerns do employees have?
Are we listening to different perspectives?
What challenges are we overlooking?
Action
What should change based on feedback?
Who is responsible for the next steps?
How will progress be communicated?
Final Takeaways
Effective communication during uncertainty requires more than distributing information or announcing decisions.
Leaders need to balance three important responsibilities:
Clarity: Communicate priorities and decisions.
Transparency: Acknowledge what is known and unknown.
Engagement: Listen to employees and involve them in navigating change.
The same principles apply to product marketing: understand customer needs, communicate meaningful benefits and use feedback to improve product positioning and market engagement.
Communicate Clearly. Listen Actively. Build Understanding.
Leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about creating the understanding and trust needed to navigate change together.
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