Due to the extreme pace and environment of my little startup-life these days, I have had a chance to recognize how much poor communication bothers me. Especially under-communication. A.K.A. the expectation that I should somehow get your drift and immediately comprehend what you are trying to communicate.
Obviously, as soon as I convinced myself this is about everyone else, I realize that, no, this is about me and what I need to work on to improve my communication.
So, I made a couple guidelines for myself:
Provide the context
Everyone else hasn’t been reading the same emails, or articles, or overhead the same conversations. So, let people in on the context of where I am coming from.
Be clear about my opinions vs. the facts
I know whether I am stating my opinion, or citing facts. (Um, usually.) But, that doesn’t mean anyone else does. Unless, I explicitly tell them.
Be clear about any questions or expectations for response
Don’t you hate rhetorical questions?
Make sure communication is directed at the appropriate channels
Reduce unnecessary duplication of information, or needing to have the same conversation multiple times.
What would you add to the list?
Leave a Reply