It started with a checkmark. Someone finished a report ahead of schedule, posted the update in Slack, and got a response: ✅. No follow-up or words. Just a symbol. For the person who shared the update, it felt dismissive, like the work had gone unnoticed. But for the colleague who sent the emoji, it was a clear sign of acknowledgment and appreciation.
This kind of moment plays out every day. The tools we use to communicate have evolved faster than our understanding of each other. Between email threads, comment sections, and team chat platforms, meaning is often filtered through generational habits that go unspoken. And when those habits don’t line up, it’s easy to feel unheard or misunderstood.
Reading Between the Lines (and Reactions)
Take a closer look at your team’s style. Some colleagues are economical with words, favouring punchy sentences and emojis to get their message across. Others type out full sentences with care, sometimes even including a sign-off like “Cheers” or “Kind regards” in an informal chat. These aren’t simply quirks, but they’re the product of decades of different communication norms, shaped by how each generation learned to connect, first offline, and now online.
But we rarely talk about it. We adapt silently, often assuming that everyone shares the same understanding of a thumbs-up or a period at the end of a sentence. When expectations don’t match the delivery, misalignment follows. One person sees reassurance. Another sees a brush-off.
Updates, Status Checks, and Subtle Misunderstandings
In task updates, this can become especially tricky. You might leave a detailed note in a task management platform explaining what was done and what’s pending, only to get a response like “All good” with no questions asked. Did they really read it? Should you follow up? Is something missing? The answer often depends more on who replied than what was said.
Clients aren’t immune to this either. Deliver a major project, and the response might be a simple, “Thanks. Looks great.” If you’re used to long-form feedback or expressive language, this might feel like a red flag. But maybe it’s just someone who believes that brevity is respectful. No fuss, just acknowledgement.
Making Understanding the Starting Point
One way to bridge these communication habits is to openly acknowledge them. Creating team norms or simple shared preferences for feedback can go a long way. When people agree on what a 👍 means or when a short reply signals next steps, misinterpretation becomes less likely.
Creating the space to clarify what is meant is key here, not forcing everyone to adopt the same style. That might look like responding with “Got it, do you want me to move forward now or wait for feedback?” or offering a bit more detail when it’s a teammate who prefers context. These small actions build clarity without requiring a big change in behavior.
Better Habits Build Better Relationships
Clarity doesn’t need to come at the expense of personality. The goal is fluency in connection rather than uniformity. Learning how your team members express themselves helps you decode meaning faster, with less second-guessing. That saves time, energy, and more than a few unnecessary follow-ups.
It also creates an environment where people feel seen. When someone realizes their natural way of communicating is understood and respected, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
And when the work picks up pace, that mutual understanding becomes the backbone of real collaboration.
Written on 10 Jul 2025.
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