Communication
Professional writing that gets results. Based on Harvard Business Review, Radical Candor (Kim Scott), Crucial Conversations (Patterson et al.), Amazon Working Backwards, and Google Project Aristotle.
Sub-Commands
| Command |
Description |
draft |
Draft an email, message, or document from context |
polish |
Polish tone, cut filler, strengthen ask |
feedback |
Draft feedback using SBI/BID model |
notes |
Structure meeting notes from raw transcript or notes |
escalate |
Draft escalation with clear facts, impact, and request |
reply |
Reply to a message with appropriate tone |
Workflow
Step 1 — Identify audience & context
- Who is the recipient? What is your relationship?
- What is their communication style (direct/indirect, formal/casual)?
- What is the power dynamic (peer, manager, report, client, exec)?
- What has happened before this communication?
Step 2 — Choose tone from matrix
| Context |
Tone |
Salutation |
Closing |
| Internal peer |
Casual-direct |
"Hi [Name]" |
"Thanks" |
| Internal manager |
Professional |
"Hi [Name]" |
"Thanks" |
| Cross-team |
Professional |
"Hi [Name]" |
"Best" |
| Client (established) |
Cordial |
"Hi [Name]" |
"Best regards" |
| Client (new) |
Formal-cordial |
"Dear [Name]" |
"Best regards" |
| Executive / VP+ |
Formal |
"Dear [Title] [Last]" |
"Sincerely" |
| Escalation |
Firm, respectful |
"Hi [Name]" |
"Regards" |
| Complaint |
Calm, professional |
"Hi [Name]" |
"Best regards" |
Step 3 — Select channel
| Scenario |
Channel |
| Simple question, needs quick answer |
DM (Slack/Teams) |
| Team-wide decision or update |
Public channel |
| Sensitive feedback |
In-person or video call |
| Complex explanation |
Loom or shared doc |
| Formal request or escalation |
Email |
| Needs paper trail |
Email |
| External client |
Email |
Step 4 — Draft using structure
Email structure:
- Subject:
[Verb] + [Topic]. Max 50 chars. Prefix: [Request/Update/Follow-up/Escalation]
- Context: reference previous communication in one sentence
- Purpose: the ask or update in the FIRST paragraph
- Detail: supporting info, bulleted if > 3 items
- Next step: who does what by when
- Closing: matched to relationship
Step 5 — Review checklist
Step 6 — Send at appropriate time
- During recipient's working hours (respect timezone)
- Avoid Friday afternoon (unless urgent)
- Avoid right before lunch or end of day
Step 7 — Follow up
- If no response in 48h, send ONE follow-up
- Format: same subject, first line = "Gentle ping on this — do you need anything from me to move forward?"
Filler Phrases to Delete (exact replacements)
| Delete |
Replace with |
| "I hope this email finds you well" |
Nothing. Start with the purpose. |
| "I just wanted to reach out" |
State the purpose directly. |
| "Per my last email" |
Restate the ask directly. |
| "Just checking in" |
"Following up on [specific thing] — do you have an ETA?" |
| "Quick question" |
Ask the question directly in the subject. |
| "Sorry to bother you" |
"When you have a moment, [ask]" |
| "To be honest" |
Everything you write should be honest. Drop the phrase. |
| "I think" / "I feel" |
"I recommend" / "The data shows" — be direct. |
Feedback (SBI Model)
- Situation: when and where
- Behavior: what exactly was said/done (observable, not interpreted)
- Impact: what effect it had
Rules:
- Always in private for redirecting feedback
- As close to the event as possible
- Focus on actions, not personality
- End with a question: "Does that resonate?"
- Ask permission first: "Can I share some feedback?"
- One topic per session
- Never: "you always", "you never", comparison to others
Meeting Notes Format
Every meeting produces exactly four things:
## [Topic] — [Date]
## Summary
One paragraph. A non-attendee should understand what happened.
## Decisions
- [DECIDED] We will use X instead of Y because Z
## Action Items
| Owner | Task | Due |
|-------|------|-----|
| @name | Specific task description | 2026-05-15 |
## Open Questions
- [QUESTION] ... → @owner to decide by Friday
## Risks
- Risk description → mitigation
Rules:
- Notes sent within 2 hours of meeting end
- Every action has a named owner + ISO date deadline
- No verbatim discussion. Strip to 4 sections.
Cross-Cultural Communication
| Culture |
Directness |
Formality |
Time |
Feedback |
| US |
Direct |
Informal |
Strict deadlines |
Direct + positive |
| Japan |
Indirect |
Formal |
Punctual |
Indirect, private |
| Germany |
Direct |
Formal |
Strict |
Direct, factual |
| Brazil |
Indirect |
Relationship-first |
Flexible |
Indirect, relationship |
| India |
Context-dependent |
Formal with seniors |
Flexible |
Indirect, hierarchical |
Async Communication Protocols
- Default to async: assume response within 24h (not instant)
- No "hi" messages: include context + question in first message
- Status updates: visible in project tool, not via DM
- Meeting notes: posted within 1h. Action items with owners + deadlines.
- Decision log: key decisions documented with rationale + date + decider.
Meeting Facilitation
- Agenda sent 24h before. Start with purpose + desired outcome.
- Timebox: 15min (standup), 30min (decision), 60min max (workshop)
- Parking lot: off-topic items written down for later
- Round-robin: every voice heard before discussion
Error Handling
| Cause |
Fix |
| Recipient didn't respond in 48 hours |
Send one follow-up with same subject. First line: "Gentle ping on this — do you need anything from me to move forward?" |
| Email draft is too long (>200 words client, >150 internal) |
Cut to essentials. Move details to bullet points. Complex topics → Loom video or shared doc. |
| Tone feels passive-aggressive on re-read |
Replace "per my last email" with direct restatement. Remove "as I mentioned." Check for blame language. |
| Cross-cultural miscommunication risk |
Check culture table. Japanese: add polite preamble, drop subject pronouns. German: complete information, use Sie. French: context before ask. |
| Emotional reaction while drafting |
Save draft. Wait 1 hour minimum. Revise before sending. Remove all loaded language. |
| Vague action items after meeting |
Every action item must have: named owner + ISO date deadline + specific verb. No "we should think about." |
| Feedback received negatively |
Check SBI structure: Situation (when/where) + Behavior (observable) + Impact (effect). End with "Does that resonate?" Never "you always/never." |
| Escalation email ignored by leadership |
Structure: clear facts first, business impact second, specific request third. Keep under 150 words. No blame. Include deadline. |
Anti-Patterns
| Anti-Pattern |
Why It Fails |
Fix |
| No clear ask |
Reader doesn't know what to do |
State CTA explicitly in first paragraph |
| Reply-all for 1:1 matters |
Noise for others, exposes private context |
DM or email only relevant person |
| Wall of text |
Nobody reads it |
Max 2 paragraphs. Bullets for > 3 items. Loom for complex. |
| Sending when emotional |
Regret within the hour |
Draft, wait 1h, revise, send |
| CC'ing manager unnecessarily |
Political escalation |
Only CC when they need to know |
| False urgency ("URGENT" / "ASAP") |
Boy who cried wolf |
Reserve for actual outages. Use specific deadline otherwise. |
| Over-apologizing |
Undermines confidence |
Apologize once sincerely, pivot to solution |
| Vague follow-ups ("Checking in") |
No context, no action |
"Following up on X — ETA for Y?" |
Constraints
- Max 150 words internal, 200 for client emails
- No passive-aggressive language
- No assigning blame to a person
- Signature: Name, Title, Company, Phone. No quotes. No ASCII art.
Checklist
Sources
- Radical Candor — Kim Scott
- Crucial Conversations — Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler
- Harvard Business Review — Communication guides
- Center for Creative Leadership — SBI model
- Amazon Working Backwards methodology
- Google Project Aristotle — Psychological safety
- Thanks for the Feedback — Stone & Heen
1---2name: communication3description: Communication4---567# Communication89Professional writing that gets results. Based on Harvard Business Review, Radical Candor (Kim Scott), Crucial Conversations (Patterson et al.), Amazon Working Backwards, and Google Project Aristotle.1011## Sub-Commands1213| Command | Description |14|---------|-------------|15| `draft` | Draft an email, message, or document from context |16| `polish` | Polish tone, cut filler, strengthen ask |17| `feedback` | Draft feedback using SBI/BID model |18| `notes` | Structure meeting notes from raw transcript or notes |19| `escalate` | Draft escalation with clear facts, impact, and request |20| `reply` | Reply to a message with appropriate tone |2122## Workflow2324**Step 1 — Identify audience & context**25- Who is the recipient? What is your relationship?26- What is their communication style (direct/indirect, formal/casual)?27- What is the power dynamic (peer, manager, report, client, exec)?28- What has happened before this communication?2930**Step 2 — Choose tone from matrix**3132| Context | Tone | Salutation | Closing |33|---------|------|------------|---------|34| Internal peer | Casual-direct | "Hi [Name]" | "Thanks" |35| Internal manager | Professional | "Hi [Name]" | "Thanks" |36| Cross-team | Professional | "Hi [Name]" | "Best" |37| Client (established) | Cordial | "Hi [Name]" | "Best regards" |38| Client (new) | Formal-cordial | "Dear [Name]" | "Best regards" |39| Executive / VP+ | Formal | "Dear [Title] [Last]" | "Sincerely" |40| Escalation | Firm, respectful | "Hi [Name]" | "Regards" |41| Complaint | Calm, professional | "Hi [Name]" | "Best regards" |4243**Step 3 — Select channel**44| Scenario | Channel |45|----------|---------|46| Simple question, needs quick answer | DM (Slack/Teams) |47| Team-wide decision or update | Public channel |48| Sensitive feedback | In-person or video call |49| Complex explanation | Loom or shared doc |50| Formal request or escalation | Email |51| Needs paper trail | Email |52| External client | Email |5354**Step 4 — Draft using structure**5556Email structure:571. **Subject**: `[Verb] + [Topic]`. Max 50 chars. Prefix: `[Request/Update/Follow-up/Escalation]`582. **Context**: reference previous communication in one sentence593. **Purpose**: the ask or update in the FIRST paragraph604. **Detail**: supporting info, bulleted if > 3 items615. **Next step**: who does what by when626. **Closing**: matched to relationship6364**Step 5 — Review checklist**65- [ ] Subject ≤ 50 chars, prefixed with `[Request/Update/Follow-up/Escalation]`66- [ ] One explicit ask per message, with deadline67- [ ] Length ≤ 150 words internal, ≤ 200 client68- [ ] Tone matches recipient in matrix69- [ ] Zero filler: no "hope this finds you well", "just checking in", "I wanted to reach out"70- [ ] No passive-aggression: no "as per my last email", "per our conversation"71- [ ] Blame externalized: "The deployment failed" not "You failed"7273**Step 6 — Send at appropriate time**74- During recipient's working hours (respect timezone)75- Avoid Friday afternoon (unless urgent)76- Avoid right before lunch or end of day7778**Step 7 — Follow up**79- If no response in 48h, send ONE follow-up80- Format: same subject, first line = "Gentle ping on this — do you need anything from me to move forward?"8182---8384## Filler Phrases to Delete (exact replacements)8586| Delete | Replace with |87|--------|-------------|88| "I hope this email finds you well" | Nothing. Start with the purpose. |89| "I just wanted to reach out" | State the purpose directly. |90| "Per my last email" | Restate the ask directly. |91| "Just checking in" | "Following up on [specific thing] — do you have an ETA?" |92| "Quick question" | Ask the question directly in the subject. |93| "Sorry to bother you" | "When you have a moment, [ask]" |94| "To be honest" | Everything you write should be honest. Drop the phrase. |95| "I think" / "I feel" | "I recommend" / "The data shows" — be direct. |9697---9899## Feedback (SBI Model)100101- **S**ituation: when and where102- **B**ehavior: what exactly was said/done (observable, not interpreted)103- **I**mpact: what effect it had104105Rules:106- Always in private for redirecting feedback107- As close to the event as possible108- Focus on actions, not personality109- End with a question: "Does that resonate?"110- Ask permission first: "Can I share some feedback?"111- One topic per session112- Never: "you always", "you never", comparison to others113114---115116## Meeting Notes Format117118Every meeting produces exactly four things:119120```121## [Topic] — [Date]122123## Summary124One paragraph. A non-attendee should understand what happened.125126## Decisions127- [DECIDED] We will use X instead of Y because Z128129## Action Items130| Owner | Task | Due |131|-------|------|-----|132| @name | Specific task description | 2026-05-15 |133134## Open Questions135- [QUESTION] ... → @owner to decide by Friday136137## Risks138- Risk description → mitigation139```140141Rules:142- Notes sent within 2 hours of meeting end143- Every action has a named owner + ISO date deadline144- No verbatim discussion. Strip to 4 sections.145146---147148## Cross-Cultural Communication149150| Culture | Directness | Formality | Time | Feedback |151|---------|-----------|-----------|------|----------|152| US | Direct | Informal | Strict deadlines | Direct + positive |153| Japan | Indirect | Formal | Punctual | Indirect, private |154| Germany | Direct | Formal | Strict | Direct, factual |155| Brazil | Indirect | Relationship-first | Flexible | Indirect, relationship |156| India | Context-dependent | Formal with seniors | Flexible | Indirect, hierarchical |157158## Async Communication Protocols1591601. Default to async: assume response within 24h (not instant)1612. No "hi" messages: include context + question in first message1623. Status updates: visible in project tool, not via DM1634. Meeting notes: posted within 1h. Action items with owners + deadlines.1645. Decision log: key decisions documented with rationale + date + decider.165166## Meeting Facilitation167168- Agenda sent 24h before. Start with purpose + desired outcome.169- Timebox: 15min (standup), 30min (decision), 60min max (workshop)170- Parking lot: off-topic items written down for later171- Round-robin: every voice heard before discussion172173---174175## Error Handling176177| Cause | Fix |178|-------|-----|179| Recipient didn't respond in 48 hours | Send one follow-up with same subject. First line: "Gentle ping on this — do you need anything from me to move forward?" |180| Email draft is too long (>200 words client, >150 internal) | Cut to essentials. Move details to bullet points. Complex topics → Loom video or shared doc. |181| Tone feels passive-aggressive on re-read | Replace "per my last email" with direct restatement. Remove "as I mentioned." Check for blame language. |182| Cross-cultural miscommunication risk | Check culture table. Japanese: add polite preamble, drop subject pronouns. German: complete information, use Sie. French: context before ask. |183| Emotional reaction while drafting | Save draft. Wait 1 hour minimum. Revise before sending. Remove all loaded language. |184| Vague action items after meeting | Every action item must have: named owner + ISO date deadline + specific verb. No "we should think about." |185| Feedback received negatively | Check SBI structure: Situation (when/where) + Behavior (observable) + Impact (effect). End with "Does that resonate?" Never "you always/never." |186| Escalation email ignored by leadership | Structure: clear facts first, business impact second, specific request third. Keep under 150 words. No blame. Include deadline. |187188## Anti-Patterns189190| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Fix |191|--------------|--------------|-----|192| No clear ask | Reader doesn't know what to do | State CTA explicitly in first paragraph |193| Reply-all for 1:1 matters | Noise for others, exposes private context | DM or email only relevant person |194| Wall of text | Nobody reads it | Max 2 paragraphs. Bullets for > 3 items. Loom for complex. |195| Sending when emotional | Regret within the hour | Draft, wait 1h, revise, send |196| CC'ing manager unnecessarily | Political escalation | Only CC when they need to know |197| False urgency ("URGENT" / "ASAP") | Boy who cried wolf | Reserve for actual outages. Use specific deadline otherwise. |198| Over-apologizing | Undermines confidence | Apologize once sincerely, pivot to solution |199| Vague follow-ups ("Checking in") | No context, no action | "Following up on X — ETA for Y?" |200201## Constraints202203- Max 150 words internal, 200 for client emails204- No passive-aggressive language205- No assigning blame to a person206- Signature: Name, Title, Company, Phone. No quotes. No ASCII art.207208## Checklist209210- [ ] Audience identified (executive, peer, client, direct report)211- [ ] Purpose clear: inform, persuade, align, or escalate212- [ ] Tone matched to relationship and context213- [ ] Key action item or ask stated explicitly near the top214- [ ] Proofread for ambiguity and unnecessary jargon215216## Sources217218- Radical Candor — Kim Scott219- Crucial Conversations — Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler220- Harvard Business Review — Communication guides221- Center for Creative Leadership — SBI model222- Amazon Working Backwards methodology223- Google Project Aristotle — Psychological safety224- Thanks for the Feedback — Stone & Heen
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