Don't assume information reaches the floor

One ritual I’ve established in my organization is a weekly all-hands message that I personally craft each week. It’s not just a summary or newsletter; it’s a tool aimed at reducing affinity distance and minimizing confusion about management decisions and ongoing projects.

I view these messages as intimate, straightforward communications that speak in adult terms about what management has been doing, the decisions we’ve made, and why we’ve made them. Sometimes, I use them to clarify opaque processes or tackle issues head-on. The tone of the messages depends heavily on the team’s culture. For instance, the tone I use with one team can be very different from another, reflecting the different cultural expectations of those groups.

What I’ve found invaluable is opening the door for staff to respond directly, either through replies or private messages. This helps break down hierarchical barriers and offers insights into what’s really happening on the floor, often uncovering that what I thought was common knowledge wasn’t reaching everyone.

Ultimately, whether these messages are effective is for the teams to decide. While it feels strange to judge their usefulness myself, my goal is to ensure clarity, reduce confusion, and create space for genuine dialogue across all levels of the organization.