Ever feel like you’re speaking a different language with your staff (insert who ever for that last word- kids or hubby)? You give clear instructions (at least, they seemed clear in your head), only to come back and find… nothing’s been done. Or worse, they’ve done something completely off the mark, and now you’re thinking, “Great, if I want something done right, I’ve got to do it myself!” Cue the frustration, the internal screaming, and the passive-aggressive comments you desperately try to suppress. If this sounds all too familiar, keep reading!

A few months ago, I sat down for lunch with one of our boutique owners. We love these meet-ups – no sales pitches, no competition, just pure entrepreneurial energy as we bounce ideas off each other and get totally jazzed about business. Seriously, these are my favorite kinds of meetings!

Quick side note: If you don’t have a biz buddy to vent to, brainstorm with, and celebrate the wins (and even the fails) together, you need to get one ASAP. Trust me, no one does this alone. And hey, if you’re looking for someone, I’m here for you! I live for this stuff, so drop me an email, and let’s set up a time to chat.

Anyway, during our convo, she shared her frustration with how hard it can be to communicate with her team. Yep, just like the scenario I mentioned earlier. Now, I’m no expert in everything, but on this topic, I had the perfect solution because I’d just attended a business workshop that tackled this exact issue. The workshop introduced us to a tool called the “Impact Filter.”

Think of it as a magical worksheet that helps you get all those brilliant ideas out of your head and onto paper. You fill it out, read it over (because sometimes things that make sense in your head don’t look so clear on paper), and if it still checks out, you hand it over to your team. They read it, ask any questions, and boom, everyone’s on the same page. No more misunderstandings, no more wasted time and resources.

Now, I can’t give you the exact template because it’s trademarked, but don’t worry – I made my own version that works just as well. The key is to spend a few extra minutes getting your thoughts down in a way others can actually understand. Sure, it takes a bit of time upfront, but trust me, it’ll save you from a ton of stress (and those passive-aggressive comments) down the road. Plus, the end result is exactly what you envisioned!

I hope this little tip helps, and I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me an email with your thoughts, whether this is helpful or if you’ve got other challenges you’re tackling. Even if it helps just one person, it was totally worth sharing.

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