Heldinhow/internal-comms

Internal Communications

Overview

Internal communications involve creating structured documents for team updates, company newsletters, project status reports, and other organizational messaging. This skill should be invoked when asked to write internal communications, status reports, or team updates that follow established company formats and tone guidelines.

Core Principles

• Audience-Appropriate: Adjust technical depth and tone based on whether the audience is executives, peers, or junior team members
• Brevity: Respect people's time - get to the point quickly
• Consistency: Follow established formats and templates for your organization
• Action-Oriented: Clearly state what action is needed from readers if any

Preparation Checklist

• [ ] Identify the type of communication (update, newsletter, report, announcement)
• [ ] Load appropriate format guidelines or examples from your organization
• [ ] Gather the key information points to include
• [ ] Determine the appropriate tone (formal, casual, urgent)

Step-by-Step Process

1. Identify Type: Determine which type of internal communication you need
2. Load Templates: Reference existing examples for that communication type
3. Gather Info: Collect the key data points, updates, or announcements
4. Draft: Follow the format while incorporating your information
5. Review: Check for clarity, tone, and completeness
6. Finalize: Polish and send through appropriate channels

Do's and Don'ts

• ✅ Do use clear subject lines that indicate the topic and urgency
• ✅ Do highlight key takeaways at the top for scanning
• ✅ Do include relevant dates, owners, and deadlines
• ❌ Don't use overly casual language in formal reports
• ❌ Don't bury the main message at the end
• ❌ Don't forget to include a call-to-action if one is needed

Anti-Patterns

• The Novel: Writing excessively long communications that no one will read
• Vague Updates: Using terms like "soon" or "some issues" without specifics
• Missing Context: Assuming readers know background information they don't
• Inconsistent Formatting: Varying structure between communications