The Communication Series

What if communication isn’t about how eloquently we speak or how carefully we craft our messages, but rather about how responsibly we engage in creating shared understanding? This collection challenges the notion that communication is simply about sending and receiving information, inviting us to see it as a process of co-creation—where meaning emerges through dialogue.

1. COMMUNICATION IS A PROCESS…

The Foundation: Co-Responsibility for Understanding Communication is not about how eloquent or smart or well-spoken one is. It’s not about the clever tricks of rhetoric or the slick slide deck. My work as a consultant and a coach is to invite people to approach communication as a process by which all parties make themselves co-responsible for the creation of a shared understanding. Read the full essay →

2. COMMUNICATING IS NOT TALKING AT PEOPLE, IT’S CO-RESPONDING

The Practice: Ensuring Understanding There are simple ways to do so. But it’s work. Read the full essay →

3. THE MANAGER’S README: A PRACTICE IN RADICAL HONESTY

The Documentation: Creating Accountability for Communication

The Manager’s README, sometimes called a personal user manual or leadership charter, has gained popularity as a transparency tool. But its true power lies not in the words themselves but in the accountability framework they create.

Read the full essay →


4. EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT: BEYOND ‘KEEP IT BRIEF’

The Depth: Giving Communication the Time It Requires

Stop watching the clock and start reading the room. Here’s how successful managers balance depth with efficiency. Managers often tell their teams to “keep it brief,” but complex issues need more than brevity.

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5. THE POWER OF ‘WHAT FOR?’ QUESTIONS

The Direction: Forward-Looking Conversation In conversations, we’re often inclined to ask ‘why’ to understand someone’s motivations or reasoning. We want to know what led them to a certain choice or how they came to hold a particular belief. Read the full essay →