Same Song, Different Language

Christina Guerrier

12 Jun 2025 — 1 min read

Before our upcoming trip, I casually told my son, “Let’s make a mix tape.”

He blinked. “A what?”

“You know,” I said, “a collection of songs you compile for the road.”

“Ohhh,” he said. “You mean… a playlist?”

Same concept. Same intention.

Different words. Different worlds.

It reminded me of the quiet misalignments I see at work. Where two people believe they’re in agreement—until deliverables diverge. Where a word like “priority” means “ASAP” to one person and “after QBR” to another. Where progress stalls not because people disagree—but because they never clarified what they meant.

Why Definitions Matter More Than We Think

In operations and leadership, we spend so much time talking about alignment. But alignment isn’t just about heading in the same direction. It’s about agreeing on what direction even means.

Too often, we assume shared meaning. We skip the step of naming, defining, clarifying. But vague words make fertile ground for confusion.

When everything is “high priority,” nothing is.

When we say “done,” but each imagines a different finish line, the project wobbles.

When “support” isn’t defined, people show up in mismatched ways.

We don’t always need to agree on everything. But we do need to be working from the same map.

So how do we build shared understanding?

This is the quiet work of operational clarity. And it’s essential. Here are a few practices I’ve found helpful:

Spell it out — Don’t assume alignment. Define terms. If you say “launch-ready,” explain what that includes.
Align on outcomes before jumping into action — Before the meeting or the sprint or the brainstorm, ask: “What are we trying to solve for? What does success look like?”
Ask, don’t assume — One of the simplest ways to avoid misalignment is also the most overlooked: “Can we pause to make sure we’re talking about the same thing?”

Final Thought

The difference between a “mix tape” and a “playlist” didn’t derail anything in our house. But in a fast-moving team or high-stakes project, those little language gaps can quietly compound.

So the next time things feel off-track, don’t just ask what’s wrong.

Ask what each person thinks they’re solving for.

What “done” means. What “priority” is. What “support” looks like.

Because before people can move in sync, they need to know they’re dancing to the same rhythm. And that rhythm always starts with shared understanding.

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