One turning point came when I spotted an aggressive price-rise letter at a new job. I rewrote it, and when it was sent out, the usual flood of complaints didn’t happen. That success sparked my career in customer-focused communication.

Now, for over 20 years, I’ve run a business helping organizations – from Nando’s to the New Zealand government – write clear, human communication. It’s the best job in the world!

Great. Is it just you or is it a group of you?

We're a loose confederation of various people with similar interests and similar obsessions and probably nobody else would give us a job.

So, what are your top tips for effective communication?

First, it’s not about you. Your message competes with distractions like TV, emails, or hunger, so make it about the recipient – in tone, content and simplicity.

Second, remember you’re an expert, but others aren’t. Start with the big picture before diving into details.

Finally, no one owes you their attention. Many organizations act as though they have a right to be heard, but we need humility. Clear communication isn’t just talking – it’s earning the right to be understood.

Do you need different communication skills at work compared to other areas of life, especially when managing or leading?

That’s such a great question. Before diving in, why are we so different at work compared to everywhere else?

A lot of it stems from outdated ideas, like Frederick Winslow Taylor’s scientific management theory, which treats organizations – and people – as mechanistic systems. Even now, companies often communicate in a way that reduces employees and customers to cogs in a machine.

For example, you might meet a warm, welcoming team during an interview but receive an impersonal, robotic contract afterward. Or you face aggressive management speak that’s full of empty words or commands. This approach ignores what makes people tick – their humanity.

Communication at work shouldn’t differ from elsewhere. It needs to balance logic and emotion, engaging both the rational and emotional sides of the brain. To bring out the best in people, managers need to foster genuine partnerships, not treat their teams as machines. Let’s stop expecting people to check their humanity at the office door.

What about spoken versus written communication, or communicating in person versus remotely?

Great question. Written versus spoken is fascinating. Most of us spend years learning to write in school, but when we start working, our writing gets criticized as “unprofessional.” Often, that just means using longer words, complicated sentences, and unnecessary fluff – things that make communication harder, not clearer.

It’s madness! People are busy and distracted, giving you only a fraction of their attention. Yet we insist on “professional” writing that’s harder to understand, even though about 18 percent of UK adults struggle with literacy. It’s like giving someone a lead life jacket and expecting them to swim.

Verbal communication, thankfully, tends to be better because we learn to talk before we write. But when it comes to remote work, relationships matter even more. Without in-person interactions, communication must focus on building connection. Whether written or spoken, organizations need to sound human. A concrete, faceless tone makes customers resentful, while a personal, relatable one fosters trust.

Better communication – especially written – could transform organizations and their relationships with customers and employees alike. It’s about being clear, human, and focused on connection.

AI is more prevalent in the workplace than ever. How is it impacting communication?

It’s a tough one because AI is changing things, though whether it’s improving them is another matter. Most operational communication isn’t great to begin with – thank goodness, or I wouldn’t have a business! AI scrapes existing content, repurposes it, and averages it out. The result? The average of something that wasn’t very good to start with.

The bigger issue is that AI isn’t human. No matter how advanced it gets, it’s still fake. It’s fantastic for summarizing, sparking creativity, and generating ideas, but in customer communication, authenticity matters. Imagine customers using AI to write complaint letters, which are then answered by another AI. It’s absurd – AI talking to itself!

This reminds me of offshore call centers. Companies outsourced to places like the Philippines to save money, not because those centers weren’t excellent – they often were. But customers hated the lack of relatability, so call centers were brought back as a selling point.

AI could face a similar backlash. People want speed and efficiency, but they also crave humanity and authenticity. AI has its place, but it won’t replace genuine, human connection. Some companies already recognize this, and I think we’ll see more follow suit.

How can communication incorporate emotional intelligence skills?

It’s fascinating how we label communication as a "soft skill," implying it’s easy or fluffy. But its impact is anything but soft – it’s measurable and powerful. For example, we helped a heritage organization double their first contact resolution on live chat in three months by adopting clearer, kinder communication. Similarly, a restaurant chain halved second-line complaints with these skills.

The key lies in getting people out of their own way. Leaders often default to vague, abstract "management speak," but effective communication should be specific, detailed, and human. It’s about treating people as individuals, not machines.

Ultimately, you have two options to achieve results: compulsion or willing compliance. Compulsion might work short-term but breeds resentment and disengagement. Willing compliance, on the other hand, requires empathy and understanding – it’s not about you but about connecting with the person you’re communicating with. That shift changes everything.

How might neurodiversity impact communication at work?

Neurodiversity is finally gaining recognition, but we’ve lost so much potential by not acknowledging it sooner. It’s crucial for organizations to listen to neurodivergent individuals – not just to respond, but to understand. Many workplaces create communication that’s hard to process, especially after legal or compliance teams turn it into complex, legal-sounding language. For those with dyslexia or other neurodivergent traits, this makes things worse.

Organizations need to ask neurodivergent employees how they can improve communication. For example, just as we provide accessible formats for people with visual impairments, we should be doing the same for neurodivergent individuals. By tailoring communication to meet diverse needs, we make sure everyone, staff or customers, can fully participate. Instead of assuming what’s best, organizations should actively seek feedback from neurodivergent people and make adjustments based on their needs. This approach fosters inclusion and unlocks potential across the board.

Why is clarity so vital in communication, and what other aspects contribute to transparency?

Clarity is key because effective communication involves both content and tone. To be transparent, content must be structured logically – from concept to detail. Tone is equally important – too often, written communication feels robotic or pompous, which obscures the message. Clear communication should feel like a human conversation, simplifying complexity and focusing on positive, inclusive language.

In terms of tone, it’s vital to avoid a parent–child dynamic. Instead, communication should be adult-to-adult, where we respect each other’s knowledge and speak as equals. Every message carries both "witting" (intentional) and "unwitting" (unintentional) testimony. How we phrase things can convey unintended feelings or assumptions.

How much should I communicate with my team without overwhelming them?

I believe in pull communication – sharing what’s useful but allowing people to find out what they need. Listening is key; it's more important than speaking. We don’t listen enough in organizations. By asking more questions and really listening, we can understand what’s important to our team. For instance, some may not care about the five-year plan but want to know what’s happening next week. Communication should be a dialogue, not a monologue. Allowing for this back-and-forth fosters mutual understanding.

Ultimately, remember: humans are not machines. We’re complex, with varying attention spans, needs and emotional responses, which makes communication both challenging and deeply rewarding.

What's Next?

If you want to upgrade your communications skills, we’ve got you covered. Our Skill Bite on Transparent Communication will show you how to build trust and engagement through your communication. Or there’s our article The 7 Cs of Communication, which provides a checklist for clarity.

Tip of the Week

Consensus Decision-Making

By Simon Bell, Mindtools Writer and Editor

Although you may feel confident about making decisions on your own, getting input from other people can be extremely valuable. Not only can this help you to secure support and buy-in for the decision you need to make, but it also helps you to reach a more objective decision based on the judgment and views of more than one person.

Consensus decision-making is a process which teams and organizations can adopt to generate participation and agreement in decision-making. This goes much further than simply asking someone to "sense-check" a decision once it has already been made. Instead, it involves key stakeholders from the beginning of the decision-making process using an inclusive, collaborative approach to reach consensus.

If you do involve others in your decision-making, bear in mind some key principles to get the best from this approach. Ensure that everyone has the chance to express their views during group decision-making, but that individuals are not overly influenced by the views of others (i.e. “groupthink”) and that group members listen carefully to one another’s views.

For more on this, see our article, Hartnett’s Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making Model.

Pain Points Podcast

Coaching can help people to understand themselves and the challenges they face, so that they know how to be more effective, and bring more of themselves to work. But many things influence how well coaching works, including what the person being coached puts in.

On Pain Points this week, author and Master Certified Coach Clare Norman explains how to decide whether coaching is the right approach, and then how to release its full value for all involved – with tips from her new book, "Cultivating Coachability."

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News Roundup

This Week's Global Workplace Insights

I Spy? Digital Tracking in Offices Sparks Privacy Concerns

A new report by Cracked Labs, as reported by The Register, highlights the rise of tracking technologies in office environments, drawing parallels to web surveillance. Using tools like motion sensors and Wi-Fi access points, companies are monitoring employee movements, desk occupancy, and behaviors.

Vendors such as Cisco and Locatee provide systems for location tracking and behavioral profiling, which are marketed as tools for improving efficiency and safety, but raise significant privacy issues.

Regulators, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, are scrutinizing these practices. Critics argue that data collection often exceeds its stated purposes, threatening employee autonomy and trust. Protests, such as those at Northeastern University over desk sensors, underscore the resistance to such surveillance.

While some use cases may have merit, experts emphasize the need for safeguards to prevent data misuse. European laws like GDPR provide protections, but the U.S. lacks comparable safeguards, prompting calls for stronger regulations to protect worker privacy.

Payment in Kind: Building Compassionate Cultures

Amid high-stress environments and economic uncertainties, fostering kindness at work is more critical than ever. Research in the Academy of Management journal, as reported by Forbes, shows that compassionate cultures boost morale, reduce burnout, and enhance employee engagement. Simple acts of kindness, such as active listening or showing appreciation, help employees to feel valued, especially in polarized or high-pressure situations.

Current challenges like low engagement (only 23 percent globally, per Gallup) and rising anxiety underscore the importance of caring leadership. Managers who build relationships, recognize individual talents, and prioritize employees’ wellbeing see better retention and productivity. Furthermore, kindness combats toxic workplace dynamics, which affect 15 percent of workers and lead to declining mental health.

Random acts of kindness also reduce stress and anxiety while promoting a sense of connection. Leaders can drive this shift by modeling compassion and integrating inclusive communication and recognition programs into the corporate culture, creating healthier, more resilient workplaces.

If you want to know more about how random acts of kindness can lift morale and improve engagement, check out our video, or its companion article.

See you next week for more member-exclusive content and insight from the Mindtools team!