Learn more about communication with this collection
Understanding the psychological rewards of bad habits
Creating new habits to replace old ones
Developing self-discipline
Communication is eighty percent listening and twenty percent talking.
In writing, ask clear, concise questions, so they know they'll be heard.
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Especially for memos, agendas, and group emails, add a TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) summary.
Follow this formula: Who does what by when and how are we going to track progress. Write this person by person if needed. If the TL;DR clearly summarizes everything, send only the TL;DR....
101
230 reads
Things that are rare and dwindling become more attractive and are perceived as more valuable. The less we write, the more valuable our writing becomes.
Refrain from responding immediately. If another recipient should answer, give the person the right of first response....
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266 reads
Nobody wants to read anything you write at work. It's not personal though. We just happen to live in a world where there is so much information asking for our attention.
We can take action and make it easy for our colleagues to read our emails, messages, texts, and memos.
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393 reads
Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and ask, “What’s in it for them?”
When we seek assistance or buy-in, asking for an opinion produces a critic. Asking for advice provides a partner.
Pay attention to your pronouns as well: "You" is selfish. "Them " is...
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229 reads
Tell your recipients from the start what you expect.
If they need to read and comment on it before a Tuesday afternoon meeting, instead of "Agenda for Tuesday," use "PLEASE COMMENT: Agenda for Tuesday."
124
298 reads
Because most of us start rambling with our insecurities - don't try to write a final draft on the first try. Allow yourself a few first drafts, then flip it.
Take the final sentence, the conclusion, and move it to the top. This inversion forces you to lead with the need. Then, you'll find ...
128
233 reads
When you discover problems, don't compose an email with a long explanation, opinion or instruction as this will make co-workers less inclined to take ownership.
Instead, use one or two sentences to describe the situation, then ask a single question and let the team contribute.
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244 reads
We long for clarity and for other people to say what they mean in as few words as possible.
Making wordy sentences that lose their fluency due to needless complexity in a text negatively affects the receiver of your message. In short: big is bad.
122
265 reads
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More like this
Listening is essential to good communication.
After meetings, for example, jot down a few notes about what was said and what others’ viewpoints were. If you can’t articulate them, it’s a sign you need to go back and ask more questions to be sure you are clear.
The ability to share information in a clear, concise manner is a necessary and desirable skill for a product leader.
Whether they’re talking, listening, writing, planning, sharing, or facilitating, the goal is always to be understood.
Listen, ask questions and follow up in an effective and respectful way:
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