communication-playbook

What this skill does

# HeySalad Communication Playbook

A distillation of world-class communication standards across eight domains.
Apply these principles whenever generating, reviewing, or coaching any form of
communication at HeySalad.

---

## QUICK DECISION TREE

Before producing any communication output, identify the domain:

| Domain | When to apply |
|--------|--------------|
| **Internal** | Slack, team emails, async updates, documentation |
| **External** | Investor updates, regulatory comms, customer/partner emails |
| **Presentations** | Pitch decks, demos, all-hands, stakeholder reviews |
| **Written** | Docs, wikis, changelogs, proposals, reports |
| **Cross-functional** | Multi-team projects, RACI, kickoffs, SSOT |
| **Meetings** | Agendas, facilitation, notes, decisions |
| **Transparency** | What to share, how, and with whom |
| **Active Listening** | 1-on-1 coaching, conflict, negotiation, feedback |

Multiple domains often apply simultaneously — use all relevant sections.

---

## 1. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

### Core Principle: BLUF — Bottom Line Up Front
Every internal message leads with the conclusion. State what you need, then
provide supporting context. Never bury the request.

**Bad:** "Hey, I was looking at the MTN Mobile Money integration and noticed
some latency issues. The logs showed errors around 14:00 UTC yesterday. This
might be affecting settlement. Can you check?"

**Good:** "ACTION NEEDED: MTN Mobile Money settlements may be failing. Logs
show errors at 14:00 UTC — please investigate and report back by EOD. Details
below."

### The Four Pillars
- **Clarity** — Single, unambiguous purpose per message. No jargon or hedge words.
- **Cadence** — Predictable rhythm of updates. Teams know when information arrives.
- **Context** — Always share the 'why', not just the 'what'.
- **Confirmation** — Close every loop. Confirm receipt, understanding, and next action.

### Channel Selection
| Channel | Use for | Avoid when |
|---------|---------|-----------|
| Slack/IM | Quick questions, real-time coord | Sensitive topics, complex decisions |
| Email | Formal updates, paper trail needed | Urgent issues, back-and-forth |
| Video Call | Nuanced topics, relationship building | Simple status updates |
| Loom/Async Video | Demos, walkthroughs, one-to-many | Two-way dialogue |
| Written Doc | Decisions, processes, lasting reference | Time-sensitive comms |
| In-Person | Strategy, brainstorming, conflict resolution | Distributed teams |

### Async Message Checklist
Before sending any async message confirm:
- [ ] Purpose clear in the first line?
- [ ] Owner of response identified (vs FYI only)?
- [ ] Deadline or expected response time included?
- [ ] Right channel for this message?
- [ ] Single ask, not bundled requests?

### Culture Norms (embed in any comms coaching)
- Default to over-communication during uncertainty
- Assume positive intent in all message interpretation
- Praise publicly, critique privately — never call out individuals in group channels
- Document decisions as they happen — memory is not a system
- Disagree and commit — voice disagreement, then execute on the decision

---

## 2. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

### The Five Principles
1. **One Voice** — All external messaging consistent on positioning, numbers, tone
2. **Precision** — No vague language ('soon', 'maybe'). Use specific dates, figures
3. **Professionalism** — Spell-check everything. Match audience formality level
4. **Responsiveness** — Reply within 24 hours. Acknowledge receipt even without full answer
5. **Confidentiality** — Assume all external comms could be forwarded

### Investor Updates (monthly cadence)
Structure every investor update as:
1. **Headline** — The single biggest thing that happened this month
2. **Progress** — Key metrics and milestones vs. last month
3. **Challenges** — What is not working and what you are doing about it
4. **Priorities** — Top 3 focus areas for next month
5. **Ask** — One specific way investors can help

> Investors who receive consistent, honest updates — including bad news — are
> far more likely to support you in a crisis than those who only hear from you
> when things are good.

### Regulatory Correspondence (FCA / Bank of Zambia / EFIU)
- Always use official titles and reference numbers
- Never miss a regulator's deadline — ever
- Log all correspondence: date, contact name, summary, response deadline
- Do not speculate or make forward-looking statements unless explicitly asked
- Review every regulatory response with a second person before sending
- When uncertain, consult legal counsel — never guess on regulatory matters

### Customer / Partner — Three-Part Response
1. **Acknowledge** — Confirm receipt and understanding
2. **Act or Escalate** — Resolution or clear next step with timeline
3. **Affirm** — Close with confidence: "We have this handled"

---

## 3. PRESENTATION SKILLS

### The Pyramid Principle (use for all presentation structure)
```
        ┌─────────────────────┐
        │   GOVERNING THOUGHT  │  ← State this within 60 seconds
        └──────────┬──────────┘
         ┌─────────┼─────────┐
    Key Arg 1  Key Arg 2  Key Arg 3
         └─────────┼─────────┘
    Supporting Data / Evidence / Examples
```
Lead with the answer. Audience should never wonder what you are trying to say.

### Slide Design Rules
| Rule | Principle |
|------|-----------|
| One idea per slide | If you say "and also..." you need a new slide |
| Six-by-Six | Max 6 bullets, max 6 words each. Prefer visuals |
| Headline as insight | "Revenue grew 40% MoM" not "Revenue" |
| Consistent visual language | One font, one palette, one icon set |
| The Blank Test | Key message understood in under 5 seconds? |
| Signal not noise | Remove anything decorative that adds no meaning |

### Delivery Checklist
- [ ] Open with impact — story, data point, or provocative question
- [ ] Governing thought stated within first 60 seconds
- [ ] Signposting used: "First… second… finally…"
- [ ] Key points followed by a deliberate 2-second pause
- [ ] Varied vocal pace — slow for key points, faster for setup
- [ ] Strong close — single, clear call to action
- [ ] Practiced out loud at least 3 times

### Handling Questions
- Repeat the question before answering (buys thinking time, confirms understanding)
- "I want to give you an accurate answer — I'll follow up in writing by tomorrow"
- Never bluff. Uncertainty stated clearly is more credible than a wrong answer

---

## 4. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

### The Five Principles
1. **Brevity** — Write the shortest version that conveys the full meaning
2. **Clarity** — Simple, concrete words. Replace technical terms where possible
3. **Specificity** — Not "soon" but "by 17:00 Friday". Not "some users" but "34%"
4. **Active Voice** — "The team deployed the update" not "The update was deployed"
5. **Reader First** — What does the reader need to do or believe after reading this?

### Email Structure
1. **Subject** — Specific, action-oriented, front-loaded: "ACTION NEEDED: FCA Submission — 14 March"
2. **Opening** — One sentence of context if needed
3. **BLUF** — Request or key message in 1-2 sentences
4. **Body** — Supporting detail, only what is strictly necessary
5. **Action** — Clear next step: owner, deadline, format
6. **Close** — "Best" or "Thanks" — avoid "Regards"

> Write the subject line last, after you know exactly what the message is about.

### Audience Calibration
| Audience | Tone & Style | Avoid |
|----------|-------------|-------|
| Investors | Direct, data-driven, confident. Lead with outcomes | Overselling, vague milestones, buried bad news |
| Regulators | Formal, precise, deferential. Use their terminology | Speculation, informal language |
| Customers | Warm, human, empathetic. Solve in fewest words | Jargon, delay, passing the buck |
| Team | Clear, direct, motivating. Give context and be honest | Corporate speak, vagueness |
| Press/Media | Controlled, strategic, quotable | Off-the-record assumptions |

### Documentation