In async work environments, the urge to be brief is strong. People worry about sending long messages or overexplaining something that might seem obvious. But when time zones, busy schedules, and scattered tools come into play, short and vague messages tend to create more problems than they solve.
A thoughtful, detailed message gives others something solid to work with. If someone already knows the context, they can skim it and move on. If they don’t, your extra words just saved them a string of back-and-forth questions. It’s not overkill, it’s just good communication. Clarity cuts through confusion and builds trust.
Our sponsors keep the lights on.
Take a moment to check out our current sponsors.
Since 2005, Automattic has built tools for the open web including WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and Jetpack that are used by millions of people to create, sell, and publish online. They believe in ownership, flexibility, and open source and we’re grateful for their support. Learn more at automattic.com.
InMotion Hosting brings over 25 years of experience, NVMe-powered speed, and 99.99% uptime to every plan they offer. When you need help, you get a real human, not a bot, and they’ll migrate your site for free. We’re happy to have them in our corner supporting the conversations we have here at Open Channels FM. Find your plan at inmotionhosting.com
Omnisend just dropped SMS pricing to $0.007, and their migration team moves your automations, templates and contacts in five days, free. That means you could be saving up to 35% in less than a week. We’re glad to have them supporting the show and the community we’re building around it. Use the code OpenChannels and get 30% off your first 3 months of any paid plan.
One simple test is to reread a message before sending and ask, “Would this make sense to someone who wasn’t in the meeting or doesn’t know the background?” If not, add a little more. Give people something they can reference, something that holds up when you’re offline.
Async communication isn’t about being fast. It’s about being useful. A clear message can keep things moving without anyone needing to ask for clarification, schedule a call, or guess what you meant. That’s not being wordy. That’s being kind.
