Tips for Clear Communication in Notes

Excellent tips here illustrating how a subtle change in tone can have a massive influence upon how your message is received. 1) Acknowledge Delays with Gratitude "Sorry for the late reply…" "Thank you for your patience." 2) Respond Thoughtfully, Not Reactively "This is wrong." "I see your point. Have you considered [trying alternative]?" "Thank you for sharing this—I appreciate your insights." 3) Use Subject Lines That Get to the Point "Update" "Project X: Status Update & Next Steps" 4) Set the Tone with Your First Line "Hey, quick question…" "Hi [Name], I appreciate you. I wanted to ask about…" 5) Show Appreciation, Not Acknowledgment "Noted." "Thank you for sharing this—I appreciate your insights." 6) Frame Feedback Positively "This isn’t good enough." "This is a great start. Let’s refine [specific area] further." 7) Lead with Confidence "Maybe you could take a look…" "We need [specific task] completed by [specific date]." 8) Clarify Priorities Instead of Overloading "We need to do this ASAP!" "Let’s prioritize [specific task] first to meet our deadline." 9) Make Requests Easy to Process "Can you take a look at this?" "Can you review this and share your feedback by [date]?" 10) Be Clear About Next Steps "Let’s figure it out later." "Next steps: I’ll handle X, and you confirm Y by [deadline]." 11) Follow Up with Purpose, Not Pressure "Just checking in again!" "I wanted to follow up on this. Do you need any additional details from me?" 12) Avoid Passive-Aggressive Language "As I mentioned before…" "Just bringing this back in case it got missed."

When onboarding a new team member, a recent experience with asynchronous collaboration brought a humbling revelation. As I was onboarding her to our tech stack, I uncovered a blind spot in communications within our project management software, Asana. 📝 In the meticulous notes I left for myself a while ago in one of the Asana projects, I had cut and pasted some language from an email to a client that included the word "YOU". 🤔 I failed to consider the potential confusion for my new team member. It hadn't occurred to me that she would interpret that "YOU" to be referencing her. ⚠️ What I had put in Asana as notes became unintended directives for the new Virtual Work Insider team member! The result? 📉 A cascade of actions on her end, each based on a misinterpretation of my notes. ⏳ This was an inefficient use of her time and effort that were invested in tasks that weren't needed or intended. The fix? 🔄 Once I realized what had happened we had a great discussion about how I would change my note-taking behavior in shared Asana projects to make the async communication clearer and we refined on our norms for how new requests would come through to her. My aha moment made we want to share some actionable insights for seamless onboarding in asynchronous settings. ✅ Precision in Messaging: Avoid vague language and ensure that your notes are explicitly for personal use and directives to others are clearly marked as tasks. ✅ Establish Communication Norms: Kickstart the collaboration by setting expectations on how tools like Asana are used. Establish a shared understanding of communication conventions to avoid misinterpretations. ✅ Feedback Loop: Create an open channel for feedback. Encourage your team to seek clarification if something seems ambiguous. This proactive approach can avoid potential misunderstandings. What would you add to this list? 👇 #virtualleadership #hybridleadership #hybridwork #async

I was a Chief Customer Officer by 29 (and a millionaire by 30) I joined Buddy Media at 26 as a project manager In 3 years, I ran a 100-person team In 4 years, we sold the company for $745M I became a millionaire in the process The # 1 factor in my success? Clear communication! (yes, it’s that simple) I get 20-50 terrible emails a day. - They ramble. - They bury the lead. - They’re unclear on the ask. - They use jargon to look smart. - They want me to do all the work. And they wonder why their career is stuck.  (spoiler: you’re a bad communicator) (and it’s hurting your career) Here’s how to fix it. 👇 And write perfect emails to your boss. 1. Main Point First   → Open with your key message or ask.   Bad: Rambling intro   Good: “Sales are up 15%. I need approval to expand ads.”     2. Context Second   → Give brief, relevant data after your point.  *Bad: Long backstory   Good: “North up 20%, South down 10%.”     3. Be Specific   → Propose a solution and make a clear ask.   Bad: “What do you think?”   Good: “Can we launch the campaign tomorrow?”     4. Use Bullets   → Break complex info into bullets.   Bad: Dense paragraph   Good: 3-line bullet list showing key trends     5. Anticipate Questions   → Answer what your manager will likely ask.   Bad: Let me know if you have questions   Good: “Attached is the South region breakdown.”     6. Respect Their Time   → Keep it tight. Don’t default to a meeting.   Bad: Long-winded, multiple long paragraphs   Good: “Summary below. Happy to meet if needed.”     It seems so simple. And the good news? It IS simple. Yet, most employees pull up a blank email and start spewing. Then wonder why they're stuck. Don’t be one of them. Tighten up your communication. And watch your career take off! 🚀 P.S. How many bad emails do you get per day?

Most people over-communicate their asks at work. Here’s a simple 3-step process to craft the perfect message: 1️⃣ Define your audience – Know who you’re writing to and the context. 2️⃣ Be clear and concise – State what you need, by when, and keep it brief. 3️⃣ Confirm understanding – Ask for confirmation, offer to assist, and stay polite. Avoid the fluff—clear, direct communication gets things done!

Ever left a meeting thinking: “What did we just decide?” Or reread an email 3 times to understand it? You’re not alone. Clarity is a leadership skill. But most of us were never taught how to simplify. We were taught to sound smart. Not to make sense. Here’s what I’ve learned: Within the intent to be clever, confusion comes in the form of complexity. Clarity on the other hand, converts. If you want to communicate with impact, across teams, time zones, or tension... Start here: 1. Say it in 5 words or fewer. Short words build trust. Long ones lose people. 2. Start with the takeaway. Lead with what matters most, then support it. 3. One message per moment. One email = One action. One meeting = One takeaway. One presentation = One core idea. 4. Let your words land. Pause before your big point. Wait after your question. Silence is strategy. 5. Don’t ask “Does that make sense?” Ask: “What’s your understanding?” Test for clarity, not agreement. Why this matters? 🧠 Only 7% of U.S. workers strongly agree that communication is accurate, timely, and open where they work. (Source: Gallup, 2023) Clarity isn’t a soft skill. It’s a power skill. Want to lead better? Start by being easier to follow. 💭 Which one of these steps will you try first? 🔁 Repost to help someone lead with more clarity 🔔 Follow me, Alinnette for more EQ-first leadership tools 📩 If this resonated, you’ll love the content I share here weekly: https://lnkd.in/gZX-CWa8