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Communication

Communication and meaning — how clarity moves between people, and where it fails. Essays in this layer explore listening, feedback, trust, language, and the habits that make communication reliable.

The Architecture of Clarity

The Architecture of Clarity

I thought I was researching old printing presses. Instead I found myself studying operating systems. A journey through the archives of the GPO, Braun, Lufthansa and the BBC — and what they were really building beneath the surface.

Is the CV Still the Best Way to Represent Professional Value?

Is the CV Still the Best Way to Represent Professional Value?

The CV has survived decades of reinvention around it — and viewed as a communication tool with a purpose, an audience and a context, that survival makes sense. What's missing is something else entirely.

The more we define, the less we understand

The more we define, the less we understand

Organisations often define everything, then define the definitions. Somewhere in the pile, understanding leaves the room. A case for clarity over completeness.

Before You Say a Word

Before You Say a Word

He appeared from the site office as I walked onto the lot. My verdict arrived before he'd opened his mouth. First impressions really are made in an instant — and the research on how to influence them is worth knowing

Animal Communication Styles: Lion, T-Rex, Mouse and Monkey Explained

Animal Communication Styles: Lion, T-Rex, Mouse and Monkey Explained

A practical breakdown of the Lion, T-Rex, Mouse and Monkey communication styles—and how to adapt your behaviour for clearer, more effective communication at work.

When a good idea isn't enough

When a good idea isn't enough

Most ideas don't stall because they're wrong. They stall because they never created value for the listener — and there's a small shift that changes how a room responds.

Meet Dave - a response to the stick

Meet Dave - a response to the stick

A leader once ended a call saying she wanted "a stick to hit them with." On ranking teams, gaming the numbers, and why a team's metrics are a mirror — not a lever.

How Reading and Writing Make You a Better Communicator

How Reading and Writing Make You a Better Communicator

Communication isn't a presentation skill. It's a daily practice — shaped by habits of attention, vocabulary, and clarity of thought. Two low-barrier practices that quietly compound over time: reading and writing.

How To Climb the Career Ladder Thoughtfully

Orientation & Direction

How To Climb the Career Ladder Thoughtfully

Career advancement follows quieter mechanics than most people expect — patterns of behaviour, systemic contribution, and clarity of intent. A practical exploration of the structural forces that actually move people forward.

Editorial Space vs Attention Space: Why Less Communication Is More Effective

Editorial Space vs Attention Space: Why Less Communication Is More Effective

Editorial space is infinite. Attention space is scarce. Most organisations get this backwards — publishing more content and creating less understanding. A practical case for designing communication for human attention rather than organisational efficiency.

Bravery and Conformity — A Behaviour That Shapes Organisational Culture

Bravery and Conformity — A Behaviour That Shapes Organisational Culture

The opposite of bravery is not cowardice — it is conformity. In organisations, conformity is often the default. A practical exploration of bravery as a quiet, consequential organisational behaviour.

More than meets the eye

More than meets the eye

A five-part spine for writing a change narrative people can see themselves in - plus free edition of The Department of Interesting Things, the canvas, templates and workshop guide.