I have a lot of pet peeves [an audible gasp emits from the top balcony]. If you ever catch me zoning out, it’s almost definitely a daydream about constructing a personalized and draconian justice system that punishes morons for transgressions against accepted social courtesies. Think eye for an eye, but also there are shin kicks.
Anyway, the one pet peeve that sits atop the mountain is ineffective communication. Conveying information succinctly, completely, and clearly is the bedrock of collaboration and when it’s absent, everything grinds to a halt.
What frustrates me the most about poor communication is that it mostly comes down to effort. Yes, there are upper echelons of communication that require intuition, nuance, and thorough academic understanding of at least one language, but I’m not looking for Churchillian prose in your email about shipping paint swatches to a TikTok influencer, I just need you to spell cerulean correctly and include a due date.
Good communication is subjective, and medium and function should define form, but I believe there is also a floor for a quality of delivery that does not actively hamper productivity. Let’s call this baseline “Responsible Communication” and try to define it a bit.
Four Pillars for Responsible Communication:
Check for completeness
Whatever you are communicating, be sure to do it fully. This means checking the boxes on who, what, where, and when. Think of it as a bit of a challenge to yourself to avoid receiving any follow-up questions.
Provide importance context
The last “W” question is why and it’s just as important. Supplying appropriate background information helps the recipient contextualize the request, connecting dots that allow them to feel part of the conversation and not just a cog on the assembly line. This is equal parts courtesy and efficiency, but providing context (sometimes as simple as attaching an originating client email) can be perceived as the difference between delivering orders, and collaborating with partners.
Identify opportunities for misinterpretation
Put yourself in the recipient’s shoes and ask yourself if there is a way in which the information you’re sharing could be interpreted incorrectly. Don’t be the person that sends a Friday email and asks for something by “next weekend.”
Don’t forget to be kind.
Some days it’s exhausting to bake in the requisite half-dozen pleasantries into every single email correspondence. It would be nice to not have to punch up each outgoing message with platitudes and well wishes, but the truth is that when you don’t make that effort, people are just gonna think you’re a jerk. Speaking from a strictly utilitarian perspective, the fastest, most reliable way to get a positive response to your request is to live up to these expectations of kindness. Show respect in your writing by using correct grammar, use soft language, and add some friendly positivity where you can. Or maybe, like, just be a nice person in general?
The Takeaway
When you have the microphone, it is your responsibility to deliver information effectively. It’s a duty, a courtesy, and an opportunity. Take a look back on how many times you’ve been asked to clarify a request or provide more context. Or perhaps the next time you receive a work product back that misses the mark, ask yourself if you left helpful information off of the briefing.
Oh, and none of this applies to your mom’s tenuous grasp on text message etiquette. You’re just going to wade through that mess.