The #1 Communication Mistake I See in Financial Work? Missing Context

It’s not messy slides.

It’s not overly technical language.

It’s not even burying the lede—although that’s a close second.

The most common (and costly) communication mistake I see in financial and analytical work is this:

👉 Jumping into the numbers without setting the scene.

When you skip context, you leave your audience playing catch-up.

They don’t know what changed, why this matters now, or what you expect them to do with the information.

And the worst part? You may be right—your analysis might be sharp, your recommendation spot-on—but if they don’t have the background, they won’t get there with you.

Why It Happens

It’s easy to assume your audience knows what you know—especially when you’re deep in the data.

But leadership is juggling multiple priorities. They’re not thinking about this project 24/7.

You are.

So when you dive straight into “our trend came in at 7.2%”—they’re wondering:

• Compared to what?

• Is that good or bad?

• What’s driving the change?

• What decision do you need from me?

What Context Looks Like in Practice

Here are simple ways to add clarity with context:

• Start with a clear headline:

  “Trend has increased by 130 basis points year-over-year, primarily due to specialty pharmacy.”

  
  

• Remind them what they saw last time:

  “When we met last quarter, trend was projected at 5.5%—this is an upward shift.”

  
  

• Anchor in timing and relevance:

  “This will affect 2026 budget planning unless addressed.”

  
  

• Add visual context:

  • Prior projections shaded in gray

  • Comparison bars from last quarter or year

  • Footnotes or speaker notes with key background

  
  

• Include market context when possible:

  “Our peer set is averaging 9% trend this year—so while our costs are increasing, we’re still outperforming the market.”

  “Other carriers are pursuing site-of-care strategies to address this—do we want to explore similar levers?”

Providing external benchmarks, competitor actions, or industry trends helps frame your results in a way that’s both strategic and actionable.

A Quick Example: How Context Changes the Story

Imagine this sentence on a slide:

“Our trend came in at 7.2%.“

That could mean anything. Let’s look at three possible context frames:

🔴 Without Context

“Trend came in at 7.2%.”

Audience reaction: 🤷 “Is that bad? Is that what we expected?”

🟡 With Internal Context

“Trend came in at 7.2%, up from our Q1 forecast of 5.5%.”

Audience reaction: 😬 “That’s a material increase—what’s driving the change?”

🟢 With Market Context

“Trend came in at 7.2%—while higher than our Q1 forecast (5.5%), it remains below the industry average of 9%.”

Audience reaction: ✅ “Okay, still some pressure, but we’re in a better position than peers. Let’s explore mitigation strategies.”

Bottom Line

Adding context doesn’t require a full rework.

It’s one of the fastest ways to elevate your financial communication—whether you’re writing an email, building a slide, or presenting to leadership.

Just ask yourself:

👉 “If I were hearing this for the first time, what would I need to know?”

Then lead with that.