Email Updates That Keep the Team Aligned

𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 = 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗘𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀) “I thought the message was clear.” But then I’d get: • 3 follow-up emails. • 2 missed deadlines. • And 1 frustrated teammate. If you’ve ever led a remote team, you know: 📧 Miscommunication isn't about laziness— It’s about ambiguity. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘁. Over the years of coaching executives, here’s what I’ve noticed: The best leaders don’t just send messages. They design communication for clarity, structure, and emotional connection. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 👇 (I broke it down in the infographic attached.) 🔎 𝟯 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 💡 𝟭. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 – 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 → 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: “Quick update” or “Touching base” → 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: “Client Feedback Needed by EOD” or “Budget Review: Final Draft Approval” 💡 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 – 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 → Use bullet points, bold key dates, and keep paragraphs short → Structure builds speed—especially for teams juggling multiple threads 💡 𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 → Add warmth and context: “𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭” + “𝘈𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬’𝘴 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘤…” → It’s not fluff—it’s trust-building. 📊 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁? ✅ Fewer back-and-forths ✅ Faster decisions ✅ A team that feels informed, respected, and aligned 👋 If you’re leading a remote or hybrid team, and you're tired of the fog that comes with virtual communication… This is where real leadership shows up—not in more emails, but better ones. — 🧠 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿? Subscribe to my free newsletter and get the full DNA of Influence™ framework— A proven system to boost executive presence, influence, and clarity in any room (or Zoom). 🔗 [Link In The Comment Section] #leadership #peakimpactmentorship  #communication #remotework #dnaofinfluence #emailtips

One of the most valuable habits I picked up in my career didn’t come from a book or a course. It came from Anthony Kennada when I worked with him at AudiencePlus. He taught me a simple but powerful practice: send a weekly roundup. Wins. What moved forward. What’s blocked. At AudiencePlus, I called it “Sunday Thoughts.” Every Sunday evening, I’d write Anthony a quick email while organizing my week. It wasn’t long or exhaustive. Just enough to show progress, highlight priorities, and flag obstacles. That habit stuck. At Circle, it’s evolved into my “Friday Roundup.” It only takes 20 minutes, and I’ve tailored it over time to cover exactly what my founders care most about. The feedback has been clear. They find it valuable to have a quick pulse on where key initiatives stand. Over the years, it’s also surfaced misalignment early, which let us course-correct before things got off track. And this isn’t just for leaders. If you’re an IC, try it with your manager. A short weekly update makes their job easier, shows initiative, and gives you more visibility than you might think. I’ve found this to be especially important in a remote environment. Without hallway chats or quick drop-ins, communication has to be intentional. Otherwise, silos can form fast. This isn’t just a status update. It’s a way to keep the right people aligned week after week. Shoutout to Anthony for inspiring a practice I still use today. Alright, time to go write this week’s roundup.

The #1 Communication Mistake Leaders Make (And How to Fix It in 10 Minutes a Week) Here’s the hard truth I learned the messy way: Years ago, I was leading a cross-functional project with 14 people spread across 3 departments. I made sure everyone had access to the updates, timelines, and dashboards. I thought I was doing my job, keeping everyone informed. But midway through the project, frustration started creeping in. One person said, “I just feel like we’re always the last to know.” That hit me. I realized: There’s a massive difference between keeping people informed and keeping them satisfied. Being informed is passive. Being satisfied means they feel heard, valued, and connected to the why behind the work. If you’re a project manager, team leader, or department head managing people or processes, this next part is for you: Here’s the simple, repeatable system I use now: The 3-Point Satisfaction Loop (Takes <10 minutes/week): 1. Confirm – Ask: “What’s most important for you to know this week?” 2. Connect – Share the update AND how it impacts their priorities. 3. Close the Loop – Ask: “Did this answer your question or give you what you needed?” You’re not just broadcasting information, you’re creating alignment. Why This Works: • It increases team trust by 48% (Harvard Business Review). • It reduces rework and confusion by over 30% (PMI). • It boosts engagement scores by up to 23% when people feel seen. What This Solves: • Unnecessary emails • Decision paralysis • “Nobody told me” breakdowns You Might Be in the Wrong Spot If… • You’re looking for top-down leadership hacks without human connection • You only want faster outputs without better outcomes But if you’re someone who believes clarity drives confidence, this works. Try this for 2 weeks. Let people know what you’re doing. See the difference. If this hit home, drop a 🔁 and share one small way you keep your team aligned. #LeadershipDevelopment #ProjectManagementTips #CommunicationSkills