communication-playbook

name

communication-playbook

description

World-Class Communication Playbook for HeySalad. Use this skill whenever any communication task is involved — internal team messages, external emails to investors/regulators/partners/customers, presentation structuring, written docs, cross-functional project coordination, meeting facilitation, transparency decisions, or active listening coaching. Trigger for ANY of the following: drafting or reviewing emails, Slack messages, investor updates, regulatory correspondence, pitch decks, slide structure, meeting agendas or notes, RACI matrices, project kickoff docs, 1-on-1 frameworks, feedback conversations, conflict resolution, documentation standards, or communication culture advice. Also trigger when the user asks about tone, channel selection, async comms, BLUF, Pyramid Principle, meeting cadence, psychological safety, or transparency norms. If it involves how HeySalad communicates — internally or externally — use this skill. When in doubt, use it.

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.

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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.

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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

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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"

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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

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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 Standards

• Write docs as if the reader has zero context (they'll read in 6 months)
• Date every document
• One owner per doc who keeps it current
• Link related docs — never duplicate content
• Archive, do not delete — old decisions have future value

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5. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

RACI Framework (use at the start of every multi-team initiative)

Role	Definition	Rule
Responsible	Does the work	Can be multiple people
Accountable	Answerable for the outcome	Only ONE person ever
Consulted	Input sought before decisions	Two-way communication
Informed	Notified of outcomes	One-way, broadcast only

Warning: Multiple people marked as Accountable = no one accountable. This is the most common RACI failure.

Project Kickoff — Six Required Answers

1. Why are we doing this? (strategic context and urgency)
2. What does success look like? (specific, measurable outcomes)
3. Who is responsible for what? (RACI clarity)
4. What are the constraints? (timeline, budget, regulatory, technical)
5. How will we communicate? (cadence, channel, escalation path)
6. What are the known risks? (blockers and mitigation plans)

Single Source of Truth (SSOT)

Every cross-functional project must have one designated SSOT — a document, board, or tool where all decisions, status updates, and changes are recorded. If it is not in the SSOT, it did not happen.

Conflict Resolution Ladder

1. State the disagreement clearly, without blame: "I see it differently"
2. Identify what each party actually needs (not just what they're asking for)
3. Search for the option that satisfies both underlying needs
4. If unresolved: escalate to Accountable owner with written summary of both positions
5. Accountable owner decides — commit and execute

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6. MEETING FACILITATION

Meeting Taxonomy

Type	Purpose	Duration	Frequency
Daily Standup	Done / Next / Blocked	15 min	Daily
Weekly Team Sync	Progress, priorities, blockers	30-60 min	Weekly
1-on-1	Relationship, coaching, feedback	30-45 min	Weekly/biweekly
Decision Meeting	Deliberation on a specific decision	Time-boxed	As needed
Retrospective	Team process reflection	60 min	Monthly/per sprint
All-Hands	Company update, culture, Q&A	30-60 min	Monthly

Before the Meeting

• Is this necessary, or can this be resolved async?
• Agenda written and shared 24+ hours in advance?
• Every invitee essential? Remove 'Informed' people from invite
• Clear decision or outcome defined?
• Timekeeper and note-taker assigned?
• Pre-reads shared with sufficient lead time?

During the Meeting

• Open with intention — State purpose and desired outcome in first 60 seconds
• Parking Lot — Capture valuable but off-topic items for later
• Draw out quiet voices — "Before we close, [Name] — what's your read?"
• Force decisions — Name loops: "We've discussed this from multiple angles — what are we choosing?"

After the Meeting (within 24 hours)

Meeting notes must include:

• Date and attendees
• Decisions made
• Actions assigned (owner + deadline)
• Parking Lot items with owners

Notes shared with all attendees AND all Informed stakeholders. Actions tracked in a shared system, not just email. Next meeting begins with review of previous actions.

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7. TRANSPARENCY

Levels of Transparency

Level	What It Means	Use For
Default Open	All information available without asking	Docs, wikis, roadmaps
Share on Request	Available to anyone who asks	Sensitive but non-confidential data
Need to Know	Restricted to those directly involved	Personnel matters, legal strategy
Confidential	Formal agreement required	Board matters, regulatory submissions

Leadership Transparency Norms

• Share the 'why' behind decisions — context enables autonomous decision-making
• Acknowledge mistakes openly and quickly — own errors before they become rumours
• When you cannot share something: "I can't share the detail here, but I'll update you when I can"
• Never let people find out important news through informal channels first
• Model the transparency you want to see in your team

Psychological Safety (prerequisite for transparency)

• Respond to bad news with curiosity: "Tell me more" not "How did this happen?"
• Reward people who surface problems early
• Normalise uncertainty: "I don't know yet" is a complete answer
• Never use information shared in confidence as ammunition in future disputes

Psychological safety is destroyed in seconds and rebuilt over months. One disproportionate response to bad news can silence an entire team.

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8. ACTIVE LISTENING

The Three Listening Levels

Level	Description	Goal
Level 1 — Internal	Thinking about your own response while the speaker talks	Avoid this
Level 2 — Focused	Fully attentive: words, body language, emotional content	Professional baseline
Level 3 — Global	Aware of everything including silence and what is not said	High-stakes conversations

Six Core Techniques

1. The Pause — Wait 2-3 seconds before responding. Signals processing, not just waiting.
2. Reflective Listening — Repeat back in your own words: "What I'm hearing is X — is that right?"
3. Clarifying Questions — "What would that look like in practice?" / "What's driving that concern?"
4. Acknowledge Without Agreeing — "I can see why that would feel frustrating" ≠ "You are right"
5. Non-Verbal Listening — Eye contact, open posture, camera not screen in video calls
6. Listen for What Is Not Said — Missing stakeholders, omitted constraints, avoided topics are data

Common Failure Modes to Avoid

Failure	What It Looks Like
Preparing your response	Eyes glaze over mid-sentence
Filtering	Only hearing what confirms existing beliefs
Interrupting	Jumping in before the speaker finishes
Advice-giving too soon	Offering solutions before understanding the problem
Distraction	Phone visible, notifications on, environment not set up

Active Listening by Context

• 1-on-1s — Team member should speak 60%+ of the time. Ask questions, don't advise unless asked.
• Negotiations — Every piece of info shared is a data point. Do not fill silences.
• Conflict — Each party must feel heard before moving to resolution. Listen first, solve second.

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MASTER OUTPUT STANDARDS

When producing any communication output, apply these non-negotiables:

Before Writing Anything

1. Who is the audience?
2. What do they need to believe or do after reading this?
3. What is the ONE key message?
4. What is the right channel and format?
5. What is the deadline / response expectation?

Universal Quality Bar

• Every message has a clear purpose and a clear call to action
• Active voice throughout
• Specific over vague — dates, numbers, names
• Read it once for content, once for length (cut 20%)
• If it took more than 5 minutes to write, have a second person review it

HeySalad-Specific Context

• Multi-jurisdictional: UK (HeySalad Payments Ltd), Estonia (HeySalad OÜ), Zambia (HeySalad Technologies / HeySalad Pay)
• Regulatory audiences: FCA, Bank of Zambia, Estonian EFIU
• Async-first across time zones — async discipline is non-negotiable
• Founder-CTO voice: direct, precise, technically credible, commercially aware
• Company stage: pre-revenue / early revenue, compliance-first, building trust with regulators and investors
• Tone: confident but not overblown, honest about challenges, specific about progress

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COMMON TASK PATTERNS

"Draft an investor update"

→ Use Section 2 investor update formula (5-part structure) → Apply Section 4 written communication principles → Tone: direct, data-driven, honest including on challenges

"Write a regulatory email / response"

→ Use Section 2 regulatory correspondence rules → Formal, precise, deferential, reference numbers included → Flag for second-person review before sending

"Structure this presentation / deck"

→ Apply Pyramid Principle from Section 3 → Governing thought within 60 seconds → One idea per slide, headline as insight

"Help me run this meeting"

→ Section 6: check meeting type, apply before/during/after checklists → Output: agenda template or meeting notes template

"Set up RACI for this project"

→ Section 5: identify R, A, C, I for each workstream → Confirm only ONE Accountable owner → Output as table with names assigned

"Review this message / doc"

→ Apply Section 4 written principles → Check: BLUF, active voice, specificity, audience calibration, length → Return revised version with brief rationale for key changes

"Help with this difficult conversation"

→ Sections 7 (transparency) and 8 (active listening) → Apply acknowledgement without agreement technique → Coach on listening levels and clarifying questions

"Write a team announcement"

→ Section 1 internal communication norms → Lead with the 'why', include context, specify next steps → Tone: motivating, honest, clear

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HeySalad Communication Playbook — v1.0 — 2025 Founder & CTO: Peter Machona