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How to become structured and clear in communications

2 points by playing_colours ↗ HN
I recently got a feedback in my interview process that I should be more structured and clear in communications, particularly on the topics that are broad and complex like approaching monolith refactoring, pros and cons of some technologies. I tend to sometimes quickly over points or vice versa versa go unnecessary deep into details, or divert into connected topics.

Can you please give any advice, recommend a book or something else to improve my communication skills. Thank you!

4 comments

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dorongrinstein
I've seen great engineers sometime struggle with concise communications. You juggle a LOT of details in your mind. The person you're communicating with does not want 99% of the details. He/she wants the 30,000 foot view. Keep that in mind when talking to others, or writing emails and other written communications. If asked a yes/no question, it is better to answer "yes" or "no". If the person asks for more details, always start with the highest level you can provide which makes sense. Only dive into more details when asked. Even then, try to stay high level and only descend to a "lower altitude" when asked. But don't try to convey everything in your mind because people will not want to communicate with you. I hope this helps.
ttymck
I would expect this feedback to be coupled with specific suggestions for how to achieve it.

While I'm sure there is general advice for how to do this, I think it would be best to ask your manager/teammates what structured and clear looks like, or specific examples of your previous unstructured and unclear communications.

To me, structured and clear means written down, broken into logical sections that build upon previous sections without scattering whole pieces of information.

For me, this has meant repeating information, even if it would be better to define something once and refer to the definition later (like a pointer) -- but documentation is not software. Hope this helps.

DLA
These resources may help. All effort you put into better communications will pay you back for the rest of your life. This is the single most critical general skill for success. Good luck.

Smart Brevity (Absolutely love this one! From the founders of Axios News. Also a TEDx talk.)

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs (excellence for presenting).

The McKinsey Way (Good info on structuring material.

TED Talk: 4 Steps to Communicate Anything Clearly, according to a Scientist who teaches quantum physics to kids. [1]

Presentation Zen blog, videos and book. [2]

[1] https://www.inc.com/scott-mautz/4-steps-to-communicate-anyth...

[2] https://www.presentationzen.com/

eastbayjake
The McKinsey "Bible" for structured communication is The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto. I've coached dozens of engineers who found its insights helpful in structuring their own communications to non-technical audiences, even about complex and nuanced topics. Highly recommend reading it!