Quick answer: Clear communication matters in project management because most projects slip over unclear expectations, not technical problems. Senior project manager Ahadu Legesse keeps every assignment anchored to three questions — what needs to be done, who is responsible, and when it is due — and pairs them with regular, predictable updates so problems surface while they are still small.
After more than 28 years in business operations at Target, U.S. Bank, Medtronic and UnitedHealth Group, Ahadu Legesse has watched many projects succeed and a few struggle. When he looks back at the ones that struggled, the cause is rarely a hard technical problem. It is usually something more ordinary: a team that assumed someone else owned a task, a deadline that meant different things to different departments, or a risk that everyone noticed and nobody mentioned.
That is why he considers communication one of the most important parts of a project manager’s job — not a soft skill that sits beside the “real” work, but the work itself.
The three questions behind every assignment
Ahadu’s approach starts with a simple standard. People should understand what needs to be done, who is responsible, and when the work is expected to be completed. If any of those three is fuzzy, the assignment is not finished yet.
- What: a clear description of the deliverable, including what “done” looks like.
- Who: one named owner, even when several people contribute.
- When: a specific date that the owner has agreed is realistic.
It sounds basic, and it is. But in cross-functional projects — where operations, information technology and administrative teams each have their own priorities — these three answers are often the first thing to blur.
Why large organizations make communication harder
In a small team, people overhear what they need to know. In a large organization, information has to be moved on purpose. Departments use different tools, different vocabulary and different calendars. A decision made in one meeting may never reach the team that has to implement it.
Much of Ahadu’s work at UnitedHealth Group involves coordinating employees from different departments and supporting the introduction of new business systems. In that setting, a project manager becomes the connective tissue: documenting decisions, tracking action items and making sure each team knows what the others need from them.
| Audience | What they need | Typical rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Project team | Tasks, owners, deadlines, blockers | Weekly working session plus a shared action list |
| Department leaders | Progress against milestones, risks needing a decision | Short weekly or biweekly status report |
| Employees affected by the change | What is changing, when, and how it affects their day | Before rollout, at go-live and after |
| Executive sponsors | Scope, budget and schedule health | Monthly, or immediately when a major risk appears |
Raise small problems early
One of Ahadu’s firmest habits is addressing problems early. He would rather tell a sponsor about a possible two-day slip today than explain a two-week delay next month. Small issues are cheap to fix while they are small; left alone, they combine and grow.
Early warnings also build trust. When leaders know a project manager will tell them about risks promptly, they stop needing to dig for bad news — and they give the team more room to solve problems on its own.
Regular updates beat heroic ones
Predictable communication is more valuable than impressive communication. A short status note that arrives every week, in the same format, lets everyone see trends. A long, polished report that appears only when something has gone wrong teaches people to dread updates.
Ahadu’s updates tend to cover the same few points every time: what was completed, what is next, what is at risk and what decisions are needed. Keeping the format steady means readers can scan it in a minute and act on it.
Communication during change
Projects that change how people work — new systems, updated procedures — need a second kind of communication aimed at the people living with the change. At Medtronic, where Ahadu managed operational excellence projects for nearly eight years, supporting employees through updated procedures was as important as designing the procedures themselves. People adopt change more readily when they understand why it is happening and what it means for their day.
Listening is half the job
Clear communication is not only about sending messages. Some of the most useful information on any project comes from the people doing the work — the analyst who knows a report is always late, or the coordinator who sees two teams duplicating effort. Ahadu has built his career on asking those questions and acting on the answers. It is also the theme of a planned episode of his podcast, “Good Project Management Starts With Listening.”
A practical takeaway
If you manage projects, try a simple audit this week: pick your three most important open tasks and check whether each has a clear deliverable, a single owner and an agreed date. If any of the three is missing, fix that before anything else. It is the fastest improvement most projects can make.
Frequently asked questions
Why is communication important in project management?
Because most delays come from unclear expectations rather than technical problems. When everyone knows what needs to be done, who is responsible and when it is due, issues surface early and decisions get made faster.
What are the three questions every project update should answer?
What needs to be done, who is responsible, and when it is expected to be finished. Ahadu Legesse treats these as the minimum for any assignment or status update.
How often should a project manager send status updates?
On a regular, predictable schedule that matches the pace of the project — often weekly for leadership — plus an immediate note whenever a risk could affect the schedule, scope or budget.
