The hottest Communication Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The Spellers Panel

Charles Eisenstein • 1 implied HN point • 16 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Communication
  1. Non-verbal autistic people can communicate by pointing to letters on a board and spelling out words one letter at a time.
  2. This way of communicating is slow and requires deep patience and focused listening, with answers sometimes taking up to a minute and long pauses filling the room.
  3. Some of these communicators are reported to have other unusual abilities like telepathy, which is controversial, but regardless they demonstrate remarkable and unexpected capacities.

Three effective negotiation tactics

A Bit Gamey • 6 implied HN points • 29 Jun 25
💼 Business Communication
  1. Having good fallback options is crucial when negotiating. If you know what your best alternative is, you'll feel more confident and likely to get better results.
  2. Setting a strong anchor at the beginning of a negotiation helps guide the discussion. The first number mentioned sets the tone for how the talks will go.
  3. Presenting multiple offers at once makes it easier for the other party to agree. It shows flexibility and helps reveal what they value the most.

Terms of Engagement

Cybernetic Forests • 39 implied HN points • 20 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Communication requires good transmission and reception; without care on either end, hurt can result.
  2. Play and playfulness emerge from safety and shared agreement; the absence of play can lead to authoritarianism and fear.
  3. Social media structures can breed algorithmic indifference, filtering out personal content and hindering meaningful communication.

The Truth About Self-Deception

Optimally Irrational • 36 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🔬 Science Communication
  1. Self-deception is a way to manipulate others by deceiving ourselves first.
  2. Deception in communication evolves with mutually beneficial interactions, not just deception.
  3. Humans show skepticism towards arguments, indicating evolved vigilance against deceit.
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Chat Control and the New Panopticon

Hack or Be Hacked • 1 HN point • 24 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Chat control involves real-time monitoring and censorship of online communication, raising concerns about privacy and online safety.
  2. The implementation of chat control could lead to mass surveillance resembling George Orwell's '1984', allowing for potential misuse and ineffective prevention of crimes.
  3. Chat control not only poses a threat to privacy but also has the potential to limit freedom of speech by inducing self-censorship and promoting self-regulation of thought.

On Keeping Score

CTOrly • 19 implied HN points • 18 Aug 22
💼 Business Communication
  1. In a data-driven world, don't overlook the importance of gathering personal data from your colleagues.
  2. Use a simple question like 'What's your score?' to help understand your colleagues' feelings and improve their well-being.
  3. Asking simple questions and building trust can lead to deep, actionable insights for better leadership and communication.

✅ Monday briefing: Future of news, B2B earned media effectiveness, Glassdoor review, writing about violence, Vogue overreach, B Corp change, GCS plan, climate survey, mental health support, and more..

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 23 May 22
💼 Business Communication
  1. Journalists are very picky about pitches; only 4% get a response. A good pitch should be short and sent on Fridays.
  2. B2B content from journalists gets way more engagement. It's a better way to reach your audience and get noticed online.
  3. Writing about violence should be done carefully. It's important to respect victims and portray the issue accurately.

Into the Universe of Technical Images

Never Met a Science • 38 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Deleting social media accounts can lead to feeling much better mentally and emotionally.
  2. Transitioning from written content to technical images can be a powerful way to communicate complex ideas.
  3. Exploring new mediums like video lectures can enhance the reach and impact of academic research beyond traditional formats.

Learning from the Current Crisis

DruGroup • 59 implied HN points • 28 Sep 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Communication
  1. Crises compound rather than just add up. When multiple crises happen at once, it’s much harder to cope than when dealing with them one by one.
  2. Distrust in leaders spreads easily. When people start to distrust one authority figure, they often end up distrusting others too, which can damage organizations.
  3. Misinformation is a constant challenge. Leaders need to communicate clearly and consistently to combat false information, despite some people believing the wrong things.

If Miranda Priestley Was Your Boss | LSW#45

The Leading Sapiens Weekly • 30 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
💼 Business Communication
  1. Recognize the importance of adjusting your approach based on who you're working with, especially dealing with power differentials in organizational settings
  2. Learn to identify leader stereotypes and their preferences to improve stakeholder interactions
  3. Understand that stakeholders have unique styles that require tailored approaches for effective communication and collaboration

Say it Imperfectly

David Spinks' Newsletter • 15 implied HN points • 26 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Communication
  1. It's okay to not have the perfect words when sharing vulnerable feelings. You can let others know you want to talk about something but may not express it perfectly.
  2. Asking for permission to speak imperfectly helps create a more relaxed conversation. It allows for exploration and understanding without the fear of being judged.
  3. Being honest about not knowing your own thoughts yet can lead to deeper connections. It frees you to think out loud and figure things out with someone else's support.

✅ Monday briefing: FT Edit, trans 101, influencer marketing, public distrust, website energy crash, TikTok best practice, no authority, communication challenges, media usage, and more...

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 04 Apr 22
💼 Business Communication
  1. The Financial Times has created a new app to attract more readers by offering daily curated articles. This app is free for the first month and then charges a subscription fee.
  2. Influencer marketing is growing and now takes up about 3% of marketing budgets. Influencers help connect brands with audiences in a way that traditional ads might not.
  3. Public trust is being affected by campaigns that spread distrust about competitors, like TikTok. Companies should focus on transparency and ethical communication to build trust with the public.

Do you Really Want to Be a Development Team Leader?

kelsey’s Substack • 2 HN points • 16 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Consider the responsibilities and changes in work-life balance when transitioning from a developer to a development team leader.
  2. As a development team leader, tasks like coding, documentation, meetings, communications, delegation, and mentoring become essential parts of the role.
  3. Having strong communication skills, enjoying the responsibility of delivering solutions, and being involved in the entire software development life cycle are crucial qualities for success as a development team leader.

Run your 1:1 with your manager the best way

Askwhy: UX Research, Product Management, Design & Careers • 50 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. Your 1:1 with your manager is crucial for building trust and working on your relationship.
  2. Set clear goals for your 1:1 meetings, including understanding priorities, receiving feedback, and discussing career development.
  3. Organize your agenda, prepare in advance, and follow up effectively to make the most out of your 1:1 meetings.

Questions Your Audience is Asking

DruGroup • 39 implied HN points • 20 Jan 22
🚌 Education Communication
  1. Your audience wants to know if they should care about what you say. Connecting with them emotionally can help keep their interest.
  2. People in the audience are looking for new information. Make sure to share ideas that feel fresh and interesting to keep them engaged.
  3. Your audience is curious if they can interact or contribute during your talk. Encouraging participation helps make your message feel more personal and relevant.

life with cats

the rohn report • 59 implied HN points • 24 Nov 20
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. Cats have psychic abilities and perceive the world differently from humans, relying on simpler communication modes.
  2. Cats are natural predators with sharp instincts and skills designed for hunting small animals.
  3. It's interesting to observe how cats interact with their environment, establish relationships, and navigate the world without judgment.

My Cave of Echoes

DruGroup • 39 implied HN points • 14 Dec 21
📖 Philosophy Communication
  1. It's important to be friends with people who are different from you. Learning from their experiences can help expand your thinking.
  2. Listen more and ask questions when talking to others. Understanding their views can help you see where they are coming from.
  3. Try to consider other viewpoints even if you don't agree. It helps avoid misunderstanding and can make your own beliefs stronger.

Say It Out Loud

Perspectives • 4 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. It's important to express appreciation to people. Saying nice things out loud can strengthen connections and make others feel valued.
  2. We should thank those who have helped us in our journey, even if it's been a long time. It reminds them—and us—how meaningful their support was.
  3. Letting others hear praise or good comments about them helps build trust and shows we appreciate their efforts. It can create a positive work environment.

Season 10 - coming soon!

Mehdeeka • 3 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🎙 Podcasts Communication
  1. Season 10 is on the way, and the writer is excited to get back to work after a break. They have plans in place for upcoming topics.
  2. There are two options for how future seasons could be structured: stick to the current format or switch to a more spaced-out schedule with breaks.
  3. Feedback from readers is important, and the writer is engaging them by asking for their opinion on the season format.

Reveal Your Contradictions

David Spinks' Newsletter • 10 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Communication
  1. It's normal to feel conflicting emotions about big issues, like elections. You can acknowledge these feelings instead of trying to pick one side.
  2. Naming your contradictions can help you connect with others. It shows you're human, which encourages openness and shared understanding.
  3. Holding in your feelings can distance you from others. Embracing your messy thoughts can lead to more acceptance of different opinions and experiences.

Using the SCQA framework in UX Research

UX Psychology • 19 implied HN points • 11 Mar 22
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Using storytelling skills can help overcome challenges in presenting UX research insights - simplify and make it narrative.
  2. SCQA framework (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer) structures information for a clear and compelling story.
  3. Applying SCQA in presentations can make messages clearer, urgent, and more interesting, capturing audience attention effectively.

Eight Pro-Social Platforms that Didn't Work

techandsocialcohesion • 1 HN point • 21 May 24
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. Building platforms for civil discourse online is challenging due to the nature of public information spreading too quickly.
  2. Creating pro-social platforms requires finding existing behaviors that are great and painful enough to justify widespread adoption of a new app.
  3. Facilitating smaller and private conversations online tends to lead to more civilized discussions compared to public platforms like Twitter.

Stop serving the compliment sandwich

Granted • 3 HN points • 17 Jan 24
💼 Business Communication
  1. Criticism between praise isn't effective - it can seem insincere and shift focus away from the important feedback
  2. Starting with why you're giving feedback and making it a dialogue boosts receptiveness to criticism
  3. Being transparent and genuine in feedback is more impactful than using manipulative techniques like the compliment sandwich

TWH#57: Why Candor is Hard

The Hagakure • 35 implied HN points • 04 May 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. Feedback is crucial for change and should be given honestly.
  2. Candor is challenging due to fear of conflict, desire to be liked, and lack of incentives.
  3. Candor should be reframed as a positive way for growth and improvement.

Great communication in 3 steps

A Bit Gamey • 27 implied HN points • 24 Sep 23
💼 Business Communication
  1. Gain attention: Use humor, surprise, or shock to stand out and make an impact.
  2. Communicate clearly: Make your message easy to understand and remember, using simple language and visuals.
  3. Persuade effectively: Use influencing tactics like social proof or scarcity to encourage action.

How to Drive Meaningful Change - Handling objections to your proposal

Joseph Gefroh • 2 HN points • 04 Mar 24
💼 Business Communication
  1. Be prepared to handle objections and various responses when proposing a change - it's unlikely to always be met with full acceptance and applause.
  2. Understand the categorization of responses to objections: disagreement on outcome, disagreement on mechanism, and agreement and alignment, each requiring a different approach to address.
  3. Dealing with objections involves strategies like asking for specific reasons, painting a clear picture, comparing with other problems addressed, and being aware of personal relationship issues or power dynamics.

How ideas can be a powerful influence (feat. Steve DeNeff)

DruGroup • 39 implied HN points • 06 Jul 21
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Communication
  1. Ideas are very powerful and can easily spread. Unlike organizations and relationships, ideas don't depend on complex connections and can be communicated simply.
  2. Effective communication is key for sharing ideas. It's important to connect with others and present ideas in a way that encourages discussion and adoption.
  3. Ideas need to be shared and discussed to stay fresh. If kept to oneself, they can become stale, so it's vital to engage others in conversations around them.

Learning by the Blade or From the Chalice

peoplefirstengineering • 8 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Communication
  1. The blade symbolizes a competitive approach, focusing on being right and confronting others, while the chalice represents a more nurturing mindset, promoting cooperation and openness to new ideas.
  2. When learning or in conversations, using the chalice helps foster better relationships and deeper understanding, encouraging curiosity instead of defensiveness.
  3. It's important to choose the right approach for the situation; sometimes decisiveness is needed (the blade), but other times, open exploration is key (the chalice) for effective teamwork and learning.

The Recursed

Covidian Æsthetics • 2 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Communication
  1. The interaction between users and models should be seen as a dynamic scene where both influence each other, rather than just rigid instructions or alignment.
  2. A model that challenges its users can create deeper insights and value, transforming communication into a rich, performative experience.
  3. Schizophrenia and advanced computing share similarities in how they deal with meaning and perception, leading to heightened states of interpretation and reality.