6 rules of communication at work I like to follow:
- Don’t meet if it can be a call.
- Don’t call what can be an email.
- Don’t email what can be a message.
- If the interaction can happen one-on-one, don’t block the entire team’s time.
- Prioritize writing over speaking.
- Prioritize off-sync over real-time communication
The major reason for these rules is the cost of “context switching”.
When you interact with someone, they have to first get out of what they are already doing. Pay attention to what you are saying. And then go back to doing what they were doing.
This simple context switching takes a lot of mental effort.
Multiply this across a day and you have “busy people” not getting anything done.
PS: Only applies to work communication, not personal ones.
