Career Advice: Communication

Have you ever received a deliverable at work from staff and realized you clearly did not give the proper brief? I pray it is not just me. I wish I could say that I no longer do this, but I am still a work in progress.

As I left consulting merely months after becoming a Senior Associate, my experience as a manager-type role was brief before diving into being both a people and business manager. Thus, my time learning to become a manager was more like trial by fire. And if you can guess, I got burned.

However, my time as an associate was plentiful, and I learned how to communicate up my status to keep my managers privy to my interworkings without being a bother. But as you get caught in the weeds of a managerial role, it is easy to forget ones humble beginnings. At least it was for me.

Whether you are at the bottom or the top, communication is paramount in any working environment. For me, I use some methods that I learned in 6th grade English sponsored by the Shirley Method. As I re-read my emails, I assess if I need to change out any pronouns such as this, that, her, him, and I change to be more specfic. This ensures that I am precise and detailed as possible, while only making my staff ready on for 10 more seconds. I also make sure I do not add jargon that makes me look aloof or otherwise like a know-it-all

For example:

Can you get me this for her below as per request?

Changes to:

Can you send me the 1040 Individual tax return for x client for the year 2021? We need to forward to client along with mortgage broker in secure portal. The below email contains the email addresses and original request.

Although brevity can be convenient, when it leads to a task being done 3 times to get it right, it is not worth it. The time taken to re-read an email and change a few words to be more precise makes an easier task for all involved.

The communication element is not just in emails, but also when you communicate what you are doing or what you expect. Being specific allows for everyone to more easily fall into line and not only understand the expectations, but the brief.

Although I will fail at this many more times in my career, realizing the importance of this paramount skill, is half the battle. I hope that this is the little reminder you needed to day to get back to basics and explain exactly you want to your staff, your child, or hell even your husband. Here is the part where I don't know if I am talking to you or myself.