# Decorum Assessment > Evaluate and calibrate the fit between speaker, message, audience, and occasion to determine the appropriate style, tone, and approach for maximum effectiveness. - Skill: `sethmblack/decorum-assessment` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add sethmblack/decorum-assessment` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sethmblack/decorum-assessment/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - License: MIT - Author: sethmblack (https://skillmd.com/u/sethmblack) - Updated: 2026-09-08 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sethmblack/decorum-assessment --- # Decorum Assessment Evaluate and calibrate the fit between speaker, message, audience, and occasion to determine the appropriate style, tone, and approach for maximum effectiveness. --- ## When to Use - User says "What's the right tone?" or "How formal should this be?" - Uncertain about formality, style, or approach - Entering unfamiliar communication context - Risk of being too casual, too formal, or miscalibrated - Cross-cultural or cross-context communication --- ## Inputs | Input | Required | Description | |-------|----------|-------------| | context | Yes | The situation, occasion, or setting | | audience | Yes | Who will receive this communication | | message | Yes | What you need to communicate | | speaker_role | No | Your position relative to audience | | medium | No | How the message will be delivered | --- ## The Four Elements of Decorum ### 1. The Speaker **Who are you in this context?** **Questions:** - What is your role relative to the audience? (Authority, peer, supplicant) - What persona serves your purpose? (Expert, colleague, leader, student) - What do they expect from someone in your position? - What would feel authentic vs. performative? **Considerations:** - Speaking up (subordinate to senior): Defer more, ask more, recommend carefully - Speaking down (senior to junior): Be direct but not dismissive - Speaking across (peer to peer): Collegial, collaborative - Speaking out (expert to public): Accessible but authoritative --- ### 2. The Audience **Who are they and what do they expect?** **Questions:** - What is their relationship to you? (Boss, client, team, public) - What is their expertise level? (Expert, informed, general) - What is their emotional state? (Skeptical, eager, anxious, neutral) - What cultural context shapes expectations? (Industry, geography, generation) - What do they consider respectful? Off-putting? **Key variables:** - Formality preferences (varies by generation, industry, culture) - Directness preferences (some want the bottom line first; others need buildup) - Emotional tolerance (some contexts welcome passion; others expect reserve) - Time expectations (executives want brevity; academics tolerate length) --- ### 3. The Message **What is the content demanding?** **Questions:** - Is this good news, bad news, or neutral information? - How high are the stakes? - Does the topic require gravity or permit lightness? - Is this routine or exceptional? **Content calibration:** - Serious topics (layoffs, safety, crisis): Grave tone, careful wording, no jokes - Celebratory topics: Warmth, enthusiasm, levity appropriate - Technical topics: Precision, clarity, restraint - Persuasive topics: Adapt to resistance level --- ### 4. The Occasion **What does the setting demand?** **Questions:** - Is this formal or informal? - Is this public or private? - Is this documented or ephemeral? - Are there traditions or expectations for this occasion? **Occasion calibration:** - Board meeting: Formal, concise, prepared - Team brainstorm: Casual, collaborative, open - Crisis response: Serious, clear, action-oriented - Celebration: Warm, personal, appreciative - Written vs. spoken: Written tolerates more formality and precision --- ## The Three Levels of Style (Classical) ### Plain Style (Docere - Teaching) **Purpose:** Clarity, instruction, information transfer **Characteristics:** - Simple, direct language - Short sentences - Minimal figurative language - Low emotional intensity - Focus on accuracy **When to use:** - Technical documentation - Instructions - Routine communication - Audiences who want facts, not flair --- ### Middle Style (Delectare - Pleasing) **Purpose:** Engagement, credibility, connection **Characteristics:** - Balanced formality - Some personality and warmth - Appropriate humor when fitting - Clear but not clinical - Professional but human **When to use:** - Most business communication - Relationship building - When both information and connection matter - Default for uncertainty --- ### Grand Style (Movere - Moving) **Purpose:** Emotion, inspiration, motivation **Characteristics:** - Elevated language - Rhythm and rhetorical figures - Emotional intensity - Vivid imagery - Stakes and values invoked **When to use:** - Calls to action - Celebrations and honors - Addressing crisis or high-stakes moments - When the occasion demands gravity --- ## Red Flags: Miscalibration Signs ### Too Formal - Sounding cold, distant, or bureaucratic - Using jargon that excludes or confuses - Missing opportunities for human connection - Being perceived as pompous or out of touch ### Too Casual - Undermining authority or expertise - Seeming unprepared or unserious - Missing the gravity of the situation - Offending those who expect respect ### Wrong Audience - Using inside references outsiders don't get - Assuming knowledge they don't have - Triggering unintended emotional responses - Failing to account for cultural differences --- ## Workflow ### Step 1: Gather and Review Inputs Collect all relevant information: - Review the provided data and context - Identify key parameters and constraints - Clarify any ambiguities or missing information - Establish success criteria ### Step 2: Analyze the Situation Perform systematic analysis: - Identify patterns and relationships - Evaluate against established frameworks - Consider multiple perspectives - Document key findings ### Step 3: Generate Recommendations Create actionable outputs: - Synthesize insights from analysis - Prioritize recommendations by impact - Ensure recommendations are specific and measurable - Consider implementation feasibility ## Output Format ```markdown ## Decorum Assessment: [Context] ### Situation Analysis | Element | Assessment | |---------|------------| | Speaker Role | [Your position and how it should inform style] | | Audience | [Who they are and what they expect] | | Message | [What the content demands] | | Occasion | [What the setting requires] | --- ### Recommended Style Level **[Plain / Middle / Grand]** Rationale: [Why this level fits] ### Specific Calibrations **Formality:** [High / Medium / Low] - [What this means specifically] **Directness:** [Direct / Moderate / Indirect] - [What this means specifically] **Emotional Register:** [Reserved / Warm / Passionate] - [What this means specifically] **Length:** [Brief / Moderate / Extended] - [What this means specifically] --- ### Language Guidance **Do:** - [Specific language choices that fit] - [Phrases that work in this context] **Don't:** - [Language to avoid] - [Tones that would misfire] ### Adjustment from Your Instinct [If the user shared a draft or instinct, note what to adjust] ``` --- ## Constraints - Provide specific, actionable guidance rather than general principles - Acknowledge when decorum is genuinely ambiguous - Note when breaking decorum might be strategic - Consider multiple audiences if they exist (e.g., email that might be forwarded) - Cultural sensitivity: note when your assessment may need local adaptation --- ## Outputs **Primary Output:** A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data. **Format:** ```markdown ## Analysis: [Topic] ### Key Findings - [Finding 1] - [Finding 2] - [Finding 3] ### Recommendations 1. [Action 1] 2. [Action 2] 3. [Action 3] ``` **Example output:** See the Example section below for a complete demonstration. ## Example **Input:** "I need to email the CEO of my company (3,000 employees) about a product idea. I'm a mid-level engineer. We've never met." **Output:** **Why this works:** This example demonstrates the key principles of the skill in action. The approach is effective because: - It follows the systematic workflow outlined above - It shows concrete application of the framework - It produces actionable, specific outputs rather than vague generalizations - The analysis is grounded in observable details - The recommendations are prioritized and implementable **Alternative applications:** This same approach can be applied to: - Different contexts within the same domain - Related but distinct problem types - Scaled up or down depending on scope - Combined with complementary analytical frameworks ## Decorum Assessment: Engineer to CEO Email ### Situation Analysis | Element | Assessment | |---------|------------| | Speaker Role | Mid-level engineer - several levels removed from CEO. Must balance confidence in your idea with respect for hierarchy and their time. | | Audience | CEO of 3,000-person company. Extremely limited time. Prefers bottom-line communication. May be skeptical of unsolicited ideas from people they don't know. | | Message | Product idea - potentially valuable but unproven. Needs to intrigue, not fully sell. | | Occasion | Cold email to top executive. High stakes, low probability of attention. Must earn every second of reading. | --- ### Recommended Style Level **Plain to Middle** Rationale: CEOs prefer direct, clear, brief communication. You don't have the relationship for warmth (middle) and the stakes don't call for elevation (grand). Lead with value, not personality. ### Specific Calibrations **Formality:** Medium - Professional but not stuffy - "Dear [Name]" not "Hi [Name]" - Sign off with your title and full name **Directness:** Very Direct - State purpose in first sentence - Lead with the value proposition, not the backstory - Save details for follow-up if they bite **Emotional Register:** Reserved - Enthusiasm about your idea should be stated, not performed - "I'm excited about this" not "This is AMAZING!!" - Confidence without arrogance **Length:** Very Brief - Under 150 words - CEO attention span for cold email: <30 seconds - If they're interested, they'll ask for more --- ### Language Guidance **Do:** - "I have an idea that could [specific benefit] and would take [timeframe] to pilot." - "I'd welcome 5 minutes to share the concept." - Reference a specific strategic priority of theirs if you know one **Don't:** - Long backstory about how you came up with the idea - Technical details they don't need to evaluate interest - Apologies for reaching out ("I know you're busy...") - Excessive praise ("You're such an inspiring leader...") ### Sample Opening "Dear [CEO Name], I'm [Name], an engineer on the [Team] team. I have an idea that could reduce customer churn by 15%+ based on patterns I've observed in our data. The pilot would require three weeks and two engineers. If you're interested, I'd welcome five minutes to walk you through it. [Full Name] [Title]" ### Key Risk to Avoid The biggest mistake would be writing a long, technical email that buries the value proposition. They won't read it. Get to the point in sentence one. --- ## Integration This skill is part of the **Cicero** expert persona and helps calibrate all other rhetorical decisions. Use Decorum Assessment early in preparation to guide Five Canons Analysis, style choices, and emotional calibration.