Work Comms 101

For newly minted leaders in any job where there are lifts and/or cubicles and/or gypsum ceiling tiles and/or windows that don’t open and/or instant coffee in a tea room.

When communicating anything with anyone junior or peer-like in the workplace, first think about what you are about to say.

Then distil it to the core message in your brain.

And then decide if you still want to say it

If so, make it as simple and short as possible so as to avoid misinterpretation.

Communicating upwards to anyone senior is very simple; just ask questions and only offer opinions in writing.

You can still talk non-work stuff, off the cuff, but make sure people know that you aren’t communicating in code when you do so. Sometimes you have to be very explicit about this because people see communists under every rock, or tea leaves in every cup.