Episode 18 - Summer Toolkit #1: Clearer, Lighter, Easier Communication

In this second episode of the SEND IT Summer Series, Claire introduces a practical, neurodivergent‑friendly toolkit: The 3‑Step Communication Reset. Building on last week’s myth‑busting episode, she explores how small, intentional choices can make communication feel clearer, lighter, and far less overwhelming.

Claire breaks down the three steps — Clarify the Purpose, Choose the Channel, and Set Expectations — showing how each one reduces cognitive load and helps untangle the stress that often comes from unclear requests, instant‑reply culture, and chaotic messaging environments. She shares relatable examples, including her own preference for familiar tools (“Give me email or Teams anytime!”) and highlights how simple expectation‑setting phrases like “No rush to reply.” can instantly reduce pressure.

Listeners are invited to try just one of the steps today — a tiny, habit‑building micro‑reset that keeps the summer series light, supportive, and practical. A short, empowering episode reminding neurodivergent professionals that communication doesn’t have to be perfect — it just needs a reset.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Hi, I'm Claire, and this is Send It Brains at Work. Welcome to our summer series. Because it's the school holidays, Steph and I are recording shorter solo episodes. We've got little bite-sized episodes to help us keep our sanity and keep you company. So remember, if you like what you hear, please share the podcast, like it on your chosen platform, or leave us a review. These are all free for you to do, but they help us reach other people who might benefit fit from our ramblings. So last week we looked at the myth of neurodivergent people being bad at communicating. Today we're exploring tools to help us with with our communication. So I'm calling it our three-step communication reset. So it's going to help our communication feel clearer, lighter, and less overwhelming. So quite often I know I can feel overwhelmed when um when I'm communicating with people, and quite often that is because I'm not entirely sure of what the expectations are. You have those instant replies and unclear requests, vague instructions. So communication can become very stressful, and it's not because we can't do it, it's because the context is chaotic. So, and you have all of this feedback ringing in your ears as well. You're too blunt, you're too direct. So just remember that you're not. This toolkit gives you permission to slow down and choose how you want to communicate. So, as I've said, it's a three-step toolkit that we're looking at. So, step one, I want you to clarify the purpose. With this, I want you to be um pause before you type, that's so important. Something I'm not very good at. You're going to ask yourself, what am I actually trying to do with this message? Is it to inform? Is it to ask? Is it to check in? Is it to request? Is it to set a boundary? Sometimes um neurodivergent communication can become really tangled because we're trying to do multiple things at once. So, for example, you could try, am I asking for help or am I giving an update? You need to pick one of those. It can't be both. So this helps because it begins to reduce that cognitive load. It also makes the message shorter and clearer and easier for both sides to understand. Okay, so we've got step one. Step two, you're gonna choose the channel, and this is all about matching the message to the medium that you're using. So just remember, not everything needs to be an email, not everything should be a team's message, not everything needs to be a meeting. Sometimes you can default um default to the channel that feels the safest, uh, but that might not be the most effective. I'm not gonna lie, give me an email or a team's message anytime. But I also recognize this isn't always the right way. So here's a couple of um examples for you to think about. If it's a quick message, uh quick question, it might be a team's message. If it's a complex topic, an email might be better because you can add that detail. If it's emotional or sensitive, think about making a voice note or a phone call. If it's high stakes and it's something that's high value or high risk, you might want to do a meeting with an agenda. But remember though, you've got to remember your organization's culture and context as well, because this will play a big part as to what's acceptable and what isn't. So this helps us because choosing the right channel prevents miscommunication and it also reduces anxiety. So now I've got step three. We're gonna set our expectations, and this is a magic step, the one that reduces pressure instantly. In that communication, we're going to tell people what to expect. So, for example, no rush to reply, or this is just an FYI, or I'll follow up tomorrow, or I'm thinking out loud, not asking for action. And that one is so important if it is just thoughts and you don't want people to do something. Sometimes communication can get misinterpreted uh misinterpreted because expectations are invisible. So this helps us to remove remove the urgency, it helps us to prevent misunderstandings and it gives both sides clarity and breathing room. So, as with our um summer season, I have a challenge for you. Um, to end this episode. I want you to pick one message today and apply just one of those steps. We're gonna um make it really simple. For example, it could be just add at the end, no rush to reply. That's it. One micro reset, one moment of clarity. So that's it for today. Remember, they're short episodes, but remember communication doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to be reset, and you get to choose what that looks like. So, thanks for joining me um on our summer series, and Steph will be with you next week.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Podcast disclaimer The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the hosts. We are not experts, specialists, or professionals, and nothing we discuss should be taken as advice. Our conversations are based around our own experiences, ideas, and perspectives. They are intended for general discussion and entertainment only. If you need guided support or advice, whether professional, personal, medical, legal, financial, or otherwise, please seek help from a qualified professional. By listening to this podcast, you understand and agree that the hosts are not responsible for any actions you choose to take based on what you hear.