The great Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh once proclaimed that great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.

No house would have been built if wood and nails were not put together. No symphony would be played if there was not the first note placed on paper. Isn’t paying attention and executing the little things in business that help propel it to success?

So why does it seem so hard sometimes to bring those series of small, seemingly basic, things together? I think many times in business it’s because of a lack of clear, two-way communication. Communication of expectations, progress and results. I’ll would like to share a slightly painful example.