Content, Editorial & Employee Communications Leader | Recovering Journalist | Storyteller | Keeping Austin Weird | Incurably Cheerful
Congratulations, you're a senior leader now. Your words are weapons, and you probably don't even realize you're swinging a machete in a china shop. Welcome to the big leagues, where your "Do you have a minute?" can induce panic attacks and your "Please look into this!" has undertones of “right now—or else.” To you, it’s a casual request. To them, it’s a mandatory emergency drill. Forget about lunch breaks or that weekend hike—it’s DEFCON 1. You’ve just flipped their world upside down, all because you couldn’t bother to explain yourself for 30 seconds. Your words can cause sleepless nights, spike cortisol levels and ruin dinners with loved ones. Nice job, chief. This is the power you wield now, like a toddler with a loaded gun. And if you can't be bothered to learn how to use this power responsibly, then guess what? You shouldn't be in charge. The secret sauce here is intentional communication. You need to set the stage, paint the picture and then hand them the brush. Before you fire off that sloppy message, spend a couple of minutes to set the context. Otherwise, you're just the guy who yells "fire" in a crowded theater because you saw a matchstick. You're a puppet master now. Every string you pull jerks someone into action. And if you're too lazy or arrogant to consider the consequences of your commands, you're not a leader—you're a tyrant in a suit. So, how do you send messages correctly and clearly on Slack? You want to avoid being the office equivalent of a serial killer, right? Here’s how you do it: [Action Requested by 5 p.m.] When you need something done by a specific time, spell it out. Don’t just bark an order and run. Give them a deadline so they know it’s a priority but not an emergency. [Just FYI] - NO action required. Sometimes, people just need information, not a marching order. Make it crystal clear that no action is needed. This helps prevent unnecessary stress and wasted effort. [Feedback Needed] - Don't spend more than 15 minutes reviewing, please. Feedback is important, but so is their time. Let them know how much time they should spend on it, so they can fit it into their day without breaking a sweat. [Approval Needed] - Due by EOD When you need approval, be specific about what needs approval and by when. Example: Please approve the updated budget by the end of the day. [Decision Required] - Review options and decide by tomorrow When a decision is needed, outline the options and set a clear deadline for the decision. Example: Review the attached project proposals and let me know your choice by EOD tomorrow. [Urgent] - Immediate action required For those rare, truly urgent situations, make it clear that immediate action is necessary. Example: The server is down. Please investigate and get back to me immediately. So, take a breath. Think before you speak. Communicate with intention. Because if you don't, the chaos you create will come back to bite you. Hard. #leadership #bestpractices #ThatAshleyAmber
One of the hardest things I had to stop doing / be clear about as a senior leader was when I was in a meeting and collectively thinking through some new situation or event with the collective group. Team members can easily take an off the cuff thought or observation by the senior leader as guidance and direction. Very important to wrap up with summation and due outs etc for the meeting (note taker ….). Also helps when the leader is not actually running the meeting (agenda etc). Allows mental separation and clarity of thought. And is a double check so fewer things are missed etc.
Clear communication is essential for effective leadership... ...and not becoming an "office serial killer." So, when is your leadership training workshop opening for enrollment?
I love these suggestions. It should trickle down below senior leadership as well. Being clear upfront about whether you're asking for immediate action or just passing on a note is a great way to show that you respect your direct report's time and focus. I also appreciate your shoutout about assigning time to feedback. Simply getting a message from a "___ Director" screams priority at a certain level. And unless we clearly identify priorities, we're allowing that message to persist. These little considerations make a serious difference in a person's day. It's on every leader to step back and ask, "How can I make this the best possible experience for my team?"
So so SO important that context and expectations are given for this exact reason! Why are you sharing/asking? What do you want the receiver to do? Is there a timeline? Simply answering those three questions will have your team (and their mental health) profusely thanking you.
I kind of like the idea of assigning people titles like "office serial killer." Putting them on company T-shirts and/or the profiles on Slack could make things a lot more fun.
I used to do this with subject lines all the time in that exact format [For Review by Date] [Feedback Needed by Date] And then makes the follow up emails easier too because the date is in the subject line. Love this. Also love the DEFCON 1 reference. 😂
My toxic trait is always assuming the worst. Random request to chat with no context - yup, today's the day. I'm getting fired.
This is such good information you've shared, Ashley Amber Sava. Reading it, I felt it could have been just as effectively delivered without the paragraph that calls the leader "a tyrant in a suit." It continues the hostility between workers and management that permeates business today. Sometimes people just need reminding, some helpful direction to bring awareness to the situation, so they can fix it.
“What’s my deadline?” and no, Kyle, “whenever” is not a deadline. Neither is “soon” or “ASAP.” Today by 2:00pm because the press runs at 1:00am whether or not this ad is on there and this paper does not run pluggers. That’s a deadline. Also, it’s “swinging a dead bull in a china shop” and “monkey with a loaded typewriter” because mixed metaphors are funny and shaken metaphors but not stirred are even funnier! 😀
Marketing Manager at Berkshire
3moAlso, if you have to call a last minute meeting, include at least a brief description of what you want to talk about. "Do you have 5 minutes to chat?" should also include "about this email, project, etc." so that you're not causing a panic. Sending a calendar invite without context could keep an employee up all night with worry.