Online Communication Etiquette

"Sorry for messaging." I see this phrase multiple times per day from Filipino team members. They are not apologizing for a mistake. They are apologizing for what they thought was a hassle they are bringing in. This is not about confidence. This is about culture. Filipino workplace communication emphasizes smooth relationships and deference to authority. The concept of "utang na loob" (debt of gratitude) runs deep. When someone helps you or employs you, maintaining that relationship through politeness becomes paramount. Foreign managers often misread this. They see frequent apologies and assume the person lacks confidence or feels anxious about their performance. That is not what is happening. Some examples I see constantly: "Sorry for the inconvenience" when asking a legitimate clarifying question. "Apologies for the delay" when the response came 2 hours later, not 2 days. Multiple apologies in a single message for what amounts to normal work communication. The challenge is this. Remote work requires directness. When someone hits a blocker, I need them to state it clearly and immediately. Not apologize three times before getting to the actual issue. This is what I think works: Model the behavior you want. When someone apologizes unnecessarily, respond with "No need to apologize. This is normal work communication." Reframe apologies into statements. If someone says "Sorry to bother you but I am blocked," teach them to say "I am blocked on X and need guidance on Y." Create explicit norms. Tell your team directly: "Asking questions is part of your job. You never need to apologize for doing your job." Acknowledge the cultural context. Explain that global business communication values directness and that this does not mean disrespect. The goal is not erasing cultural communication styles. The goal is helping your team understand that directness serves everyone better in remote work environments. Frequent apologies are not a performance issue. They are a cultural communication pattern that you can help reshape through clear expectations and consistent modeling.

A few years ago, I was in a high stakes meeting with colleagues from Japan. I presented my points confidently, thinking I was making a great impression. But as I scanned the room, I saw blank expressions. No nods. No engagement. Just silence. I panicked. Had I said something wrong? Was my idea unconvincing? After the meeting, one of my Japanese colleagues pulled me aside and said, “Sumit, we really want to understand you, but you speak too fast.” That was my light bulb moment. For years, I assumed that mastering English and business communication was enough to build strong global relationships. But the real challenge wasn’t just the language - it was the rate of speech! Most of us don’t realize that speaking speed varies drastically across cultures. Here’s an eye-opener: ·      In India, we typically speak at 120–150 words per minute. ·      The global standard for clear communication is around 60–80 words per minute. ·      In Japan, where English is not the first language, this rate drops even further. So, what happens when we, as fast speakers, communicate with someone who is used to a much slower pace? Our words blur together. The listener struggles to process. And instead of making an impact, we create confusion. We often assume that if people don’t understand us, we need to repeat ourselves. But the truth is, we don’t need to repeat - we need to slow down, simplify, and pause. If you work in a multicultural environment, here are three things that can dramatically improve your communication: a.   Control your pace: Consciously slow down when speaking to an international audience. What feels “normal” to you might be too fast for them. b.   Use simple language: Smaller sentences. Easier words (vocabulary). c.    Pause & check for understanding: Don’t assume silence means agreement. Ask, “Does that make sense?” or “Would you like me to clarify anything?” I’ve seen professionals struggle in global roles - not because they lack expertise, but because they fail to adjust their communication style to their audience. I’ve also seen leaders who thrive across cultures, simply because they master the art of respectful, clear, and paced communication. If you want to succeed in a global workplace, rate of speech is not just a skill - it’s a strategy. Have you ever faced challenges due to differences in speaking speed? Let’s discuss. #GlobalCommunication #CrossCulturalLeadership #EffectiveCommunication #SoftSkills #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceSuccess #HR

The best social media pros aren’t just good at social. They understand positioning. Audience segmentation. Funnel stages. Paid media. Product drops. They know how creative and strategy work together to drive actual business outcomes — not just likes. Because when leadership’s asking for results, they’re not asking for engagement rate. They’re asking how social content moved people toward the sale. Social is one of the most powerful marketing tools we’ve got — but to really earn that seat at the table, you have to speak the language of marketing, not just content. So read the brand deck. Ask to sit in on the product meeting. Learn how to write a brief. Don’t just know what to post — understand why it matters.

Should every professional follow a journalist’s code of ethics? During a recent conversation with award-winning sports journalist, media personality, and professor Kelsey Nicole Nelson, she shared something that truly stayed with me. At the start of every semester, she has her students read and sign the SPJ Code of Ethics. Not because they’re required to, but because she wants them to understand the weight of their words, the power of their platforms, and the responsibility they hold in building trust. And that couldn’t be more relevant right now. In the digital age, your voice is more than your message, it’s your brand, just because you can say it online, doesn’t mean you should. We're living through a time when information is flying faster than truth. AI generated content floods our feeds. People share before verifying, and with one comment, post, or video clip, you can go viral for all the wrong reasons. What’s missing isn’t visibility, it’s integrity. During my keynote for Free Speech Week at the McCombs School of Business, I asked: “Where does free speech end, and personal accountability begin?” What I’ve come to realize is that ethical communication is no longer optional, it’s the foundation of your reputation. The SPJ Code may be designed for journalists, but the principles apply to all of us: 💜 Seek truth and report it.  💜 Minimize harm.  💜 Act independently.  💜 Be accountable and transparent. If you’re a leader, creator, business owner, or even a student, these are the questions you need to ask yourself before you post, comment, or share:  💜 Is this fact or opinion?  💜 Is it rooted in my values?  💜 Am I sharing for impact, or attention?  💜 Am I adding to the noise, or offering clarity? And yes, even with AI, especially with AI, these questions matter. Tools like ChatGPT can help us articulate ideas and scale content, but they don’t replace our values. They don’t carry our credibility, the prompt might be automated, but the responsibility is still ours. What I’ve learned through Kelsey’s insights, my own journey, and the many conversations I’ve had with clients and leaders, is this: Your story doesn’t need to be loud to be heard, it needs to be intentional. You don’t have to overshare to be transparent, you don’t have to hold back your truth, but you do need to know when and how to share it. This Friday, December 5th at 10AM CST, Kelsey and I will be going LIVE on LinkedIn to deep dive into this conversation. We’ll talk about the intersection of media, professionalism, AI, and brand ethics. I'd love for you to join us. Free speech is a right, accountability is a choice, and your personal brand is the sum of both. #FreeSpeech #ContentStrategy #Leadershp #PersonalBranding #AI  

The 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' Trap: How to Conquer the Distance Google is a global company with offices all over the world, and while this diversity is a strength, it also presents unique challenges for communication and collaboration. Especially when your key stakeholders and decision-makers are continents away! Those hallway conversations, spontaneous coffee chats, and quick desk drop-bys that teams at HQ take for granted? Yeah, those aren't happening when you're separated by oceans and time zones. And that can lead to a disconnect. Your team's amazing work might get overlooked, your challenges might go unnoticed, and your stakeholders might feel out of the loop. But fear not, fellow remote leads! Here are a few strategies I've learned along the way: ‣ Tailor your communication approach: Every leader has their preferred communication style. Some love detailed reports, others prefer concise bullet points, and some just want the TL;DR. It's your job to adapt and deliver information in the way they'll best receive it. ‣ Embrace Radical Transparency: The worst thing that can happen is your leadership feeling blindsided by a problem or a missed deadline. Over-communicate! Share updates regularly, highlight both wins and challenges, and don't be afraid to ask for help when needed. ‣ Educate Your Leads: Help them understand the unique challenges of leading a remote team in a different location. Explain why you might need more proactive communication or different approaches to stay connected and aligned. ‣ Build Relationships Beyond Email: Travel when possible. Occasional visits to the main office can be invaluable for building relationships and understanding the nuances of the company culture. ‣ Celebrate Wins: Make sure your stakeholders are aware of your team's accomplishments, both big and small. This reinforces the value of your team and keeps them top-of-mind. ‣ Iterate and Improve: What works for one lead might not work for another. Experiment with different communication styles, ask for feedback, and continuously refine your approach. Leading a local team in a remote site requires extra effort and intention. By mastering the art of communication and building strong relationships with your stakeholders, you can ensure your team's success, no matter where you are in the world! What are your favorite tips for leading remote teams across continents? Share your insights in the comments! 👇 #RemoteLeadership #Communication #TechLeadership #lifeAtGoogle

Does “Packaging” still matter? The other day, a former client reached out, looking for a particular service provider. I immediately thought of someone I’d heard great things about—word of mouth was solid. They were known for doing excellent work. So I went online to find links to their social media pages and that’s where the problem started. Instagram? Mostly personal and church-related posts. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but there was little to nothing about their actual work. LinkedIn? Worse. There was no clear positioning, no compelling proof of expertise, nothing that would make an executive take them seriously. So, messaged them directly to ask for links showcasing their work. When they finally sent me something, the content itself was decent, but the packaging was off. The visuals were subpar. The presentation lacked polish. It just didn’t exude credibility—it didn’t match the standard that decision-makers are used to. And sure enough, when I sent it to the executive, the response was lukewarm. Here’s the thing: executives, especially baby boomers who built their reputations in a pre-digital era, need to understand that in today’s world, “packaging” is just as important as substance. People are accustomed to: ✅ High-resolution images that showcase professionalism ✅ Well-designed brochures that exude credibility ✅ Polished social media pages that demonstrate thought leadership If you’re a serious professional or entrepreneur looking to attract high-level clients, partners, or board roles, your digital presence must reflect the level of excellence you bring to the table. 4 Ways to “Package” Yourself for the Digital Era 1️⃣ Polish Your Online Presence • Your LinkedIn and Instagram should be aligned with your expertise. • Remove outdated, blurry, or irrelevant posts that don’t contribute to your professional brand. • Have a clear, compelling bio that tells people exactly what you do and who you serve. 2️⃣ Invest in Professional Visuals • First impressions matter. Your headshots, brand assets, and marketing materials should reflect quality and attention to detail. • Hire a photographer for high-resolution images and invest in clean, visually appealing designs. 3️⃣ Create Content That Demonstrates Credibility • Don’t just post about your work—package it in a way that resonates with decision-makers. • Share client testimonials, case studies, and industry insights in a structured, easy-to-digest format. 4️⃣ Make It Easy for Others to Refer You • If someone wants to recommend you, do they have high-quality links, a website, or a brochure they can send effortlessly? • Have an up-to-date portfolio, a polished LinkedIn profile, and a professional one-pager so people can confidently introduce you to their networks. Perception shapes opportunities. You might be amazing at what you do, but if your packaging doesn’t reflect that excellence, you’ll struggle to get the attention you deserve. Do you agree or disagree?

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. In distributed, remote, & hybrid teams, meetings are key moments where team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about having fewer Zooms. It’s about rewiring your communication norms: ✔️ Do we know when to communicate synchronously vs. asynchronously? ✔️ Are we using async tools that give transparency without constant live check-ins? ✔️ Have we aligned on our team values and expected behaviors? 💡 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count: 1️⃣ Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. We’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: ✔️ Shared team goals ✔️ Defining team member roles ✔️ Agreed-upon behaviors ✔️ Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2️⃣ Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3️⃣ Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for living into the team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention. Excerpt from the Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick

Dear students, It’s truly heartening to see so many of you sharing your internship experiences; celebrating your growth, skills, and the joy of working with clients and participants. However, I want to be honest about something that’s been weighing heavily on me. Every time I see internship photos on LinkedIn or Instagram - images of clients or participants with visible faces, often shared without careful thought - I feel genuinely heartbroken. It’s not just a lapse in judgment; it’s a breach of professional ethics. In our rush to showcase our work, we forget what truly matters: trust, respect, and confidentiality. Portraying our work in a way that compromises these principles undermines the very ethos we stand for. Colleges have a duty to teach students what can and cannot be shared on social media and to instil ethical practice from the outset. Sharing photos of clients or participants - whether they’re holding balloons or making boats - must be done with explicit consent and full awareness of how these images will be used and who will see them. Let’s be mindful. Let’s be ethical. Our professionalism extends beyond just the work we do; it includes how we respect and protect those we aim to help. Confidentiality is the cornerstone of our profession. When we post photos with visible faces - regardless of permission - we are breaching trust because by showcasing their faces, we are using their images to boost engagement, increase visibility, and elevate our presence on social media. We are prioritising our gains over their dignity and privacy. Do they understand that their faces are being used as tools to promote us? Are they aware their images could be shared widely or exploited? This is a serious breach of respect and ethics. It robs them of their dignity and reduces their participation to a mere commodity. Here’s what I suggest: take photos from angles where faces aren’t visible or blur faces before sharing. These small steps show respect and uphold dignity. Remember, social media algorithms may push for more likes, but our profession isn’t about chasing views - it’s about integrity, compassion, and standing by our core values. Let’s be responsible, respectful, and hold ourselves to the highest standards because their dignity and the integrity of our profession depend on it. #psychology #therapy #mentalhealth #internships

Ethical AI in PR has moved from “nice to have” to non‑negotiable standard. Recent guidance from the PR profession makes it clear: it’s not if we use AI, but how we use it—transparently, accountably, and within robust governance frameworks. This 5WPR article highlights five big shifts for communicators: - Clear disclosure when AI shapes content or decisions, backed by documentation and upfront client conversations. - Strong governance and human oversight, including regular AI audits and vendor due diligence. - Bias mitigation as a core competency—fact‑checking AI outputs, auditing for bias, and clearly labelling synthetic media. - Client expectations for honesty, quality control, and someone clearly accountable when AI is involved. - Alignment with emerging global AI laws through ongoing training, policy updates, and solid paper trails. For PR teams, the message is simple: ethical AI isn’t just a compliance issue—it’s a trust, reputation, and professional integrity issue. Now is the time to audit how you use AI, tighten your policies, and invest in training so you can lead these conversations, not chase them. https://lnkd.in/gu3Nxb83 Public Relations Institute of Ireland Laura Wall MPRII Paul Hand MPRII

I have made and saved a lot of money using remote teams across all of my companies.  Here’s how you do it: Almost every business could use at least some remote talent. It’s a great way to access a broader talent pool than your local area. You can also lower overhead costs — less office space, lower bills, and even hire talent from other countries. So how do you get the most out of a team that you don’t see face to face? Step 1: Define your objectives and needs Nail down your biggest reason for building a remote team. Broaden your hiring pool? More flexibility? Lower costs? Your main goal guides your future decisions. Then, assess which of your positions are suitable for remote or hybrid work. — Step 2: Develop a remote work policy A solid policy sets the tone and expectations for your team. Try to answer all questions ahead of time. Clarify Scope and Purpose: •  Who is eligible to work remotely? • For hybrid, how many days? • Is there a distance requirement? Set Communication Standards: • When should people be online and available? • What communication tools should they use? Security Protocols: Password manager?  VPN? Are you providing work equipment or expecting BYOD? — Step 3: Update your hiring process Build remote-specific job descriptions: Highlight skills like self-discipline and communication. Use diverse recruitment channels: Remote-specific job boards and communities. Tailor interviews for remote readiness: Include video calls and assess their home office setup. — Step 4: Find the right tools & technology Equip your team with tools that support collaboration and productivity. You’ll probably need: • An async communication hub (like Slack) • A video call platform (Google Meet) • A project management tool (Asana or Trello) • Hardware/software support Provide equipment or offer a stipend. — Step 5: Establish clear communication guidelines Effective communication is the backbone of remote work. Do you need people to: • Set online statuses? • Post daily updates? • Follow a response time rule? • When do you need people available for video calls? Make sure to set regular meetings and check-ins. Weekly stand-ups and monthly all-hands help keep everyone aligned. — Step 6: Build a strong team culture Strong remote teams thrive on culture and connection. Start with thorough virtual onboarding. Set up meet and greets and mentoring sessions. Add regular team activities: • Virtual coffee breaks • Game time • Casual Slack channels Celebrate everything: • Individual and team wins • Holidays • Company milestones — Step 7: Keep tabs on performance Address concerns head-on with clear goals and regular feedback. Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Schedule quarterly reviews. Focus on outcomes — not hours worked. — If you’re interested in remote staff for your teams. Comment below or message me and I’ll get you connected.