The hottest Communication Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Becoming a Data Engineering Force Multiplier

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 671 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Data engineering is crucial in today's data-driven landscape, with a growing demand for skilled professionals.
  2. Developing technical skills like architecture, data modeling, coding, testing, and CI/CD is essential for becoming a successful data engineer.
  3. Non-technical skills such as teaching, long-term project planning, and communication are equally important for data engineers to excel and become force multipliers.

How to be more Effective.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 39 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
💼 Business Communication
  1. Time is the most valuable asset we have, and how we use it shapes our lives. Successful people focus on using their time wisely to achieve their goals.
  2. In any interaction, it's important to give rather than take. Approaching meetings with generosity and empathy helps create meaningful connections.
  3. Feedback is essential for improvement. To get better, we should give constructive feedback and also seek it actively from others.

Timeless

The Weasel Speaks • 98 implied HN points • 18 Jun 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. Meetings should focus on communication needs like information sharing, questions, and discussions.
  2. Prioritize outcomes over rigid agendas for more effective meetings.
  3. Evaluate the necessity of meetings by questioning the clarity of outcomes and preparation, ensuring they are truly beneficial.
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Cybernetic communication

Methexis • 98 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Exploring emotions physically can lead to self-transformation.
  2. AI therapists might not be able to match human emotional understanding.
  3. AI collaboration can offer unique, efficient, and profound ways of communication beyond human capabilities.

Better Small Talk:

Books Unbound • 3 HN points • 18 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. Small talk helps build connections, so it's important to practice it regularly. Short interactions can turn into meaningful conversations later on.
  2. Preparing topics for small talk, like a conversation resume, can make you feel more confident and engaging. Having stories or interesting facts ready helps avoid awkward silences.
  3. Keeping conversations lively requires techniques like free association or using certain prompts. This keeps the discussion flowing and makes it more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Words about Words

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 157 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
📚 Literature Communication
  1. Language is always changing, and it's normal for older generations to feel a bit disconnected from younger people's way of speaking. It's important for culture to evolve, and that includes how we communicate.
  2. When people say 'that's just semantics,' they might underestimate how important the right words are for clear communication. Taking time to choose the right words can really help us understand each other better.
  3. Metaphors can create deeper understanding by connecting new ideas with familiar ones. Mixing metaphors can be tricky, but when done well, it can lead to powerful imagery and insights.

Career advice: Learn how to write

Wednesday Wisdom • 151 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
🚌 Education Communication
  1. Writing is a valuable skill, even with AI around. Good writing helps you communicate better in teams and makes your work more effective.
  2. Practice makes perfect when it comes to writing. The more you write, the better you'll become at organizing your thoughts and expressing them clearly.
  3. Strong writing skills help you think clearly. Writing forces you to clarify your ideas, making it an essential tool for problem-solving.

How I learnt to do sales, despite being a coder

Recontact • 39 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
💼 Business Communication
  1. Always be passionate and excited about talking about your work and shamelessly sell to potential clients.
  2. In sales, key strategies include outbound, inbound, personal network sales, and handling calls for closing deals.
  3. Engage with clients genuinely, be a good listener during calls, follow up with gratitude, and strategically approach asking for payments.

Walensky wins the IDSAs Fauci Award

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 175 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Communication
  1. Public health needs to be honest about its mistakes to regain people's trust. If it keeps celebrating errors, trust will stay low.
  2. Both Walensky and Fauci have made many mistakes in their public health decisions, like masking and vaccine guidelines. Their actions confused people and didn't always follow the science.
  3. For public health to improve, it should focus on open discussions and the truth instead of promoting those who were wrong. Otherwise, trust in health organizations will keep declining.

Straight Talk

The Radar • 39 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Communication
  1. Dishonesty has become the norm in today's world, so being honest can help you stand out as a leader and build stronger relationships.
  2. Different types of misleading tactics like withholding information, spin, doublespeak, manipulation, and tactical deniability are commonly used in organizations.
  3. Practicing transparency, providing rationale for decisions, and communicating honestly can lead to increased trust within teams and ultimately improve overall performance.

Wandering In the Tall Weeds

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 31 Dec 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. In the corporate world, mismanagement of talent can lead to catastrophic outcomes such as financial strain, loss of critical knowledge, and decreased morale among remaining team members.
  2. People leave their jobs primarily due to poor management, including factors like work/life balance, insufficient compensation, lack of growth opportunities, and bad bosses.
  3. Insecurity caused by unclear communication, downsizing, and pay cuts can trigger regrettable attrition, where valuable talent leaves, leading to mediocrity and strategic failure.

The Ironist

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 109 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. People often want irony to be shown clearly because misunderstandings are frustrating. They might wish for a special font to spot irony right away.
  2. Irony relies on the gap between what is said and what is meant. If everyone understands it perfectly, it might not be true irony.
  3. Today's culture puts a strong focus on clarity and being understood. This change makes it harder for people to laugh off mistakes or misunderstandings.

Turn-taking in the age of Zoom

The Counterfactual • 139 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. Turn-taking is a key part of human conversation, where one person speaks and then the other responds. This has been observed even in some animals, showing that it's a long-established communication behavior.
  2. Studies show that conversation timing is mostly consistent across different languages, with an average pause of about 208 milliseconds between turns. This quick exchange helps keep conversations flowing smoothly.
  3. Zoom and similar video call platforms can disrupt the natural rhythm of conversations, leading to longer pauses and more frustration. This change might affect how we communicate in the long term as remote communication becomes more common.

BabyTime: A Video Calling App for Babies

offscript • 104 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. The app is designed for babies to call family members using photos, making it easy for them to connect without needing to read.
  2. A friend's three-year-old enjoys using the app so much that he started prank calling family, showing how kids can adapt to tech.
  3. Building the app was a fun project that took just one day, and it encourages others to create simple apps for their own families.

Small P Podcasting

offscript • 98 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🎙 Podcasts Communication
  1. Podcasting can be a fun way for friends to stay connected, even when they can't talk frequently. Creating podcasts can help maintain close friendships and share experiences over time.
  2. Having a podcast doesn't mean you want to be famous or better than others. It's just a new way of expressing yourself and sharing thoughts with a small group.
  3. As technology changes, more people will see podcasting as normal and accessible, similar to how writing and blogging have become common. Everyone can have a voice now, not just professionals.

Insights into the future role of public relations in management

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 99 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. Public relations saw a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, which suggests its potential future importance in management. It's important to understand how PR can be both positive and negative depending on its use.
  2. The author has faced difficulties developing a strong argument and is currently reconsidering his work to make it more dynamic and engaging. It often requires starting over to create better clarity and focus.
  3. The connection between management and public relations is not well-studied yet, and there's a chance to make meaningful contributions to this field. Tightening the research scope could help in making it more manageable and impactful.

Lovable work emails

The 418 • 19 implied HN points • 01 May 24
💼 Business Communication
  1. A work email is an important signal given to an employee, representing how the company values them as an individual.
  2. Choosing a creative and unique email convention can have a positive impact on how employees perceive themselves within the company.
  3. Being flexible with work email assignments shows consideration for employees' identities and can boost morale.

Many people don't know that nuclear power is low-carbon

Sustainability by numbers • 301 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🔬 Science Communication
  1. Many people are unaware that nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy, leading to confusion between renewables and nuclear power.
  2. Surveys show that there is a lack of understanding regarding the low-carbon nature of nuclear energy, with less than half of the public recognizing it as such.
  3. Demographics play a role in this confusion, with older individuals and men more likely to correctly identify nuclear power as low-carbon compared to younger individuals and women.

Even More Words About Words

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 121 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
📚 Literature Communication
  1. Many words in English have one side that is commonly used, while their pairs are often ignored. For example, you might be 'disgruntled' but have never been 'gruntled.'
  2. Language evolves and new words are created when two concepts come together. Words like 'email' started as 'electronic mail' and have changed over time.
  3. As words change, their pronunciation also shifts. For instance, 'bookshop' is pronounced differently than 'book shop,' showing how language and speech develop over time.

Agile Dating - A Less Painful Way to Date

Cozy Philosophy • 14 HN points • 24 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Communication
  1. Modern dating can be confusing and stressful due to limited information and time, leading to self-doubt and anxiety.
  2. Approaching new relationships with Agile Dating principles helps navigate uncertainties with clarity, empathy, and continuous improvement.
  3. Agile Dating involves treating relationships as experiments with co-creators, radical transparency, empathy, and regular check-ins to decide on next steps.

Filled Pauses

Brain Lenses • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. Filled pauses are common in conversations to indicate that the speaker is not done speaking yet.
  2. These filler sounds provide context clues about tone and intended meaning in conversations.
  3. Prejudices against filler words in communication seem to be based on societal biases rather than their actual impact.

Meaning and the firefly

Banana Peel Pirouette • 79 implied HN points • 28 Jun 23
🔬 Science Communication
  1. Animals like songbirds and insects communicate through sounds and movements that hold specific meanings for them, unlike the fixed characteristics of their appearances.
  2. Fireflies communicate with light patterns, where their visual signals guide them in finding mates and coordinating activities; their world of light holds deep communication that contrasts human mediums like language.
  3. The impact of human actions, like light pollution, can disrupt the meaningful communication patterns of fireflies, leading to potential disturbances in their mating behaviors and survival.

Address Not Found (Part 1)

Cybernetic Forests • 79 implied HN points • 11 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. The organization of information shapes the world by prioritizing what is relevant and categorizing discourse, leading to challenges and social movements.
  2. Digital mediation of communication alters the intended recipient and how messages are perceived by algorithms like Twitter, causing misunderstanding and lack of context.
  3. AI systems should be viewed as communication networks, translating and re-encoding human discourse, but currently function as closed, noisy systems with weighted biases that limit new ideas.

Mike Lauer talks about the foreign influence investigations

Science Forever • 79 implied HN points • 26 May 23
🔬 Science Communication
  1. There were challenges in communicating the foreign influence investigation properly, leading to disruptions in researchers' careers.
  2. There was a lack of direct communication with individual scientists involved, causing confusion and fear.
  3. Efforts were made to shift from a prosecutorial approach to an administrative approach, fostering engagement and open communication in the scientific community.

Disappearing handwriting

J ROBERT CLARK - MAKES • 78 implied HN points • 24 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. Cursive handwriting is becoming less common among the younger generation.
  2. Technology like automated scanning systems may struggle to read cursive handwriting.
  3. The disappearance of cursive handwriting may lead to the loss of historical documents and a unique art form.

On investor updates

Luba’s Newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. Investors usually want to help your startup, prioritize good investors
  2. Keep investor updates concise, under 1.5 pages, and send regularly
  3. Include key asks, key metrics, and management discussion in investor updates

As an engineering leader, you’re not managing a cruise ship. You’re managing a flotilla.

Developing Leadership • 78 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. As an engineering leader, don't treat your organization like a cruise ship, but rather like a flotilla of multiple boats working towards a shared goal
  2. Approach your organization as the admiral of the flotilla, allowing each team to move independently but aiming for overall success
  3. Encourage communication and collaboration between teams, so they can leverage their unique strengths to achieve more collectively

Why You Always Get Punished for Telling The Truth

OK Doomer • 124 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. People who tell the truth often get punished for it. This happens because society tends to ignore uncomfortable truths.
  2. Cognitive biases make it hard for people to accept negative feedback or truths, leading them to blame those who speak out.
  3. Pretending everything is fine, like the woman who followed Zig Ziglar's advice, doesn't solve the real issues and can create more problems.

Why You Should Write

salondao • 178 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
📚 Literature Communication
  1. Regularly writing is essential for a healthy life, regardless of the genre.
  2. Some modes of writing can be harmful, like short-form rapid communication that discourages nuance.
  3. Writing regularly not only changes our minds but also enhances our experience of life and improves our oral communication skills.

Behaviors That Attract People

Prawfeed Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Communication
  1. Be genuine and present — share real smiles, be yourself, and show quiet confidence so people find you approachable and trustworthy.
  2. Focus on others by listening beyond words, holding eye contact, asking good questions, and praising their accomplishments to make them feel seen.
  3. Show kindness and openness — express sincere appreciation, offer help without expectation, and stay open-minded to invite connection.

The Simple Secret to Influence

Perspectives • 10 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
💼 Business Communication
  1. Influence comes from making other people feel smart, not from showing how smart you are. When people leave a conversation feeling capable, they trust and follow you more than if they just feel impressed.
  2. Use simple habits—give clear context, speak plainly, ask curious questions, avoid assumptions, and give credit—to invite ideas and keep conversations productive. These small choices help people feel heard and willing to share.
  3. Real leadership is about creating psychological safety so people can take risks and learn, not about dominating the spotlight. You gain lasting influence by empowering others to grow and contribute.