EPISODE 264
The Conversations You’re Avoiding Are Costing Your Business
with Molly Tschang
What if the conversations you’re avoiding are the very thing holding you and your team back?
Too often, we stay silent to keep the peace, avoid discomfort, or protect relationships… but in doing so, we create misalignment, confusion, and missed opportunities.
In this episode, we explore how effective communication becomes a powerful lever for trust, performance, and leadership growth. Molly Tschang shares how shifting your mindset and building practical communication skills can transform not only your conversations, but your entire organization.
Molly is a leadership advisor, executive coach, and the founder of Say It Skillfully. She’s worked with leaders from startups to Fortune 500 companies, helping them navigate high-stakes conversations around feedback, accountability, and team dynamics. Known for her ability to bring humanity back into leadership, Molly equips leaders with the tools to communicate with clarity, compassion, and confidence.
In this episode, Molly breaks down how to have the conversations you’ve been avoiding — and how to do it in a way that builds trust, alignment, and real progress.
Communication Starts With You, Not Them
One of the biggest misconceptions about communication is that breakdowns are caused by “other people.” But Molly challenges this thinking with a powerful shift: communication starts with you. When something isn’t landing, it’s worth asking, “Was I as clear, intentional, or grounded as I could have been?”
Her “Me, You, We” framework reframes communication as both an internal and external process. First, you get clear on your own emotions, intentions, and desired outcome. Then, you step into empathy — understanding the other person’s perspective. Finally, you align as a team, creating a shared understanding that drives better decisions and stronger collaboration.
This shift moves communication away from reactive, emotionally driven exchanges and toward thoughtful, intentional conversations that actually create results.
Accountability Isn’t the Problem — Lack of Clarity Is
Many leaders struggle with accountability, but Molly reveals that the real issue is often a lack of transparency. When expectations, outcomes, and timelines aren’t clearly defined, it becomes nearly impossible to hold people accountable without frustration or friction.
Instead of addressing issues after the fact, Molly encourages leaders to set the foundation upfront — clearly defining what success looks like, aligning on expectations, and building in checkpoints along the way. This creates a culture where accountability feels collaborative, not punitive.
She also emphasizes the importance of psychological safety. Leaders must actively invite feedback — even when it’s uncomfortable — and respond with openness rather than defensiveness. Because the moment people feel unsafe speaking up is the moment communication and performance break down.
Enjoy this episode with Molly Tschang…
Soundbytes
21:43–22:12
“Someone has the courage to come up to you, the leader, and say, ‘You know, Rachel, X-Y-Z.’ And then the very next words out of the leader’s mouth are, ‘Who said that?!’ Like, ‘Obviously, if the person felt comfortable saying it to you, they would’ve come to you themself. Now you’re yelling at me, who took all the courage.’ So, that should be, ‘Oh, my gosh, thank you for sharing that. That may not have been easy to do.’ Right? That’s a signal of safety to the team; not, ‘Who said that?!’”
24:05–24:28
“If you’re exhausted, haven’t eaten well, haven’t been exercising, and something stressful hits you, you’re going to have less resiliency to handle it, for sure. You’re more likely to blow off the handle. I am not happy to admit the number of times I have overacted. I mean, it happens. Right? But the more we can prevent that sort of thing by taking care of ourselves — I really want to encourage that.”
Quotes
“I was silent on the sidelines for years — and communication became the most empowering skill I ever built.”
“If you want people to understand your value, you have to make your words matter.”
“We’re never really taught how to communicate in a way that’s true to ourselves.”
“Human connection is what opens the door to effective communication.”
“We all have blind spots — and we need other people to help us see them.”
Links mentioned in this episode:
Connect with our Guest Host
Website: https://www.sayitskillfully.com/
Connect with Molly Tschang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollytschang/
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