Communication Playbook

HeySalad Communication Playbook

A distillation of world-class communication standards across eight domains. Apply these principles whenever generating, reviewing, or coaching any form of communication at HeySalad.

QUICK DECISION TREE

Before producing any communication output, identify the domain:

Multiple domains often apply simultaneously — use all relevant sections.

1. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Core Principle: BLUF — Bottom Line Up Front

Every internal message leads with the conclusion. State what you need, then provide supporting context. Never bury the request.

Bad: "Hey, I was looking at the MTN Mobile Money integration and noticed some latency issues. The logs showed errors around 14:00 UTC yesterday. This might be affecting settlement. Can you check?"

Good: "ACTION NEEDED: MTN Mobile Money settlements may be failing. Logs show errors at 14:00 UTC — please investigate and report back by EOD. Details below."

The Four Pillars

• Clarity — Single, unambiguous purpose per message. No jargon or hedge words.
• Cadence — Predictable rhythm of updates. Teams know when information arrives.
• Context — Always share the 'why', not just the 'what'.
• Confirmation — Close every loop. Confirm receipt, understanding, and next action.

Channel Selection

Async Message Checklist

Before sending any async message confirm:

• Purpose clear in the first line?
• Owner of response identified (vs FYI only)?
• Deadline or expected response time included?
• Right channel for this message?
• Single ask, not bundled requests?

Culture Norms (embed in any comms coaching)

• Default to over-communication during uncertainty
• Assume positive intent in all message interpretation
• Praise publicly, critique privately — never call out individuals in group channels
• Document decisions as they happen — memory is not a system
• Disagree and commit — voice disagreement, then execute on the decision

2. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

The Five Principles

1. One Voice — All external messaging consistent on positioning, numbers, tone
2. Precision — No vague language ('soon', 'maybe'). Use specific dates, figures
3. Professionalism — Spell-check everything. Match audience formality level
4. Responsiveness — Reply within 24 hours. Acknowledge receipt even without full answer
5. Confidentiality — Assume all external comms could be forwarded

Investor Updates (monthly cadence)

Structure every investor update as:

1. Headline — The single biggest thing that happened this month
2. Progress — Key metrics and milestones vs. last month
3. Challenges — What is not working and what you are doing about it
4. Priorities — Top 3 focus areas for next month
5. Ask — One specific way investors can help

Investors who receive consistent, honest updates — including bad news — are far more likely to support you in a crisis than those who only hear from you when things are good.

Regulatory Correspondence (FCA / Bank of Zambia / EFIU)

• Always use official titles and reference numbers
• Never miss a regulator's deadline — ever
• Log all correspondence: date, contact name, summary, response deadline
• Do not speculate or make forward-looking statements unless explicitly asked
• Review every regulatory response with a second person before sending
• When uncertain, consult legal counsel — never guess on regulatory matters

Customer / Partner — Three-Part Response

1. Acknowledge — Confirm receipt and understanding
2. Act or Escalate — Resolution or clear next step with timeline
3. Affirm — Close with confidence: "We have this handled"

3. PRESENTATION SKILLS

The Pyramid Principle (use for all presentation structure)

        ┌─────────────────────┐
        │   GOVERNING THOUGHT  │  ← State this within 60 seconds
        └──────────┬──────────┘
         ┌─────────┼─────────┐
    Key Arg 1  Key Arg 2  Key Arg 3
         └─────────┼─────────┘
    Supporting Data / Evidence / Examples

Lead with the answer. Audience should never wonder what you are trying to say.

Slide Design Rules

Delivery Checklist

• Open with impact — story, data point, or provocative question
• Governing thought stated within first 60 seconds
• Signposting used: "First… second… finally…"
• Key points followed by a deliberate 2-second pause
• Varied vocal pace — slow for key points, faster for setup
• Strong close — single, clear call to action
• Practiced out loud at least 3 times

Handling Questions

• Repeat the question before answering (buys thinking time, confirms understanding)
• "I want to give you an accurate answer — I'll follow up in writing by tomorrow"
• Never bluff. Uncertainty stated clearly is more credible than a wrong answer

4. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

The Five Principles

1. Brevity — Write the shortest version that conveys the full meaning
2. Clarity — Simple, concrete words. Replace technical terms where possible
3. Specificity — Not "soon" but "by 17:00 Friday". Not "some users" but "34%"
4. Active Voice — "The team deployed the update" not "The update was deployed"
5. Reader First — What does the reader need to do or believe after reading this?

Email Structure

1. Subject — Specific, action-oriented, front-loaded: "ACTION NEEDED: FCA Submission — 14 March"
2. Opening — One sentence of context if needed
3. BLUF — Request or key message in 1-2 sentences
4. Body — Supporting detail, only what is strictly necessary
5. Action — Clear next step: owner, deadline, format
6. Close — "Best" or "Thanks" — avoid "Regards"

Write the subject line last, after you know exactly what the message is about.

Audience Calibration

Documentation Standards

• Write docs as if the reader has zero context (they'll read in 6 months)
• Date every document
• One owner per doc who keeps it current
• Link related docs — never duplicate content
• Archive, do not delete — old decisions have future value

5. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

RACI Framework (use at the start of every multi-team initiative)

Warning: Multiple people marked as Accountable = no one accountable. This is the most common RACI failure.

Project Kickoff — Six Required Answers

1. Why are we doing this? (strategic context and urgency)
2. What does success look like? (specific, measurable outcomes)
3. Who is responsible for what? (RACI clarity)
4. What are the constraints? (timeline, budget, regulatory, technical)
5. How will we communicate? (cadence, channel, escalation path)
6. What are the known risks? (blockers and mitigation plans)

Single Source of Truth (SSOT)

Every cross-functional project must have one designated SSOT — a document, board, or tool where all decisions, status updates, and changes are recorded. If it is not in the SSOT, it did not happen.

Conflict Resolution Ladder

1. State the disagreement clearly, without blame: "I see it differently"
2. Identify what each party actually needs (not just what they're asking for)
3. Search for the option that satisfies both underlying needs
4. If unresolved: escalate to Accountable owner with written summary of both positions
5. Accountable owner decides — commit and execute

6. MEETING FACILITATION

Meeting Taxonomy

Before the Meeting

• Is this necessary, or can this be resolved async?
• Agenda written and shared 24+ hours in advance?
• Every invitee essential? Remove 'Informed' people from invite
• Clear decision or outcome defined?
• Timekeeper and note-taker assigned?
• Pre-reads shared with sufficient lead time?