Before you hit send, pause. What you say shapes more than just a message — it shapes trust.

Let Me Read That for You

May 3, 2025 | Leadership, Resources, Support, Tips, Trust

Sometimes, the hardest part is hitting send.

When someone reaches out to me, most of the time, it’s not about strategy decks or vision statements. It’s not about the perfect phrase or the most polished message.

It’s more like:

“Can you take a look at this?”
“Does this sound too harsh?”
“I rewrote this five times and still hate it.”
“I’m about to send this to my team, but something feels off.”

And my answer is usually the same: Yes and… Let’s pause. Let’s read it together.

Because the pause? That’s where trust begins.

The pause says: “I care enough to check.” “I don’t want to default to corporate speak.”
“I’m not just sending a message — I’m trying to lead with it.”

The pause is powerful in a world that rushes everything, especially communication.
It creates space for clarity. It invites us to think about tone, timing, and trust.
It keeps people from ghosting, spiralling, or filling the silence with worst-case scenario assumptions.

And for me, it’s where the real work begins.

You Don’t Need Perfect Words

Most people I support don’t consider themselves “good at communication.”

But they care. They’re thoughtful. They’re trying not to mess it up.

They just need:

  • A gut check
  • A second set of eyes
  • A way to say what they mean without losing their tone, their values, or their audience 

And that’s where I come in.

Sometimes we rewrite it together.
Sometimes we just shift the order or ditch the jargon.
Sometimes the pause was the point — it gave them confidence to send what they already knew how to say.

The Work That Happens Before You Hit Send

I’ve helped people write:

  • Kind rejections that don’t ghost candidates.
  • Layoff messages that honour people, not just process.
  • Internal updates that explain the “why,” not just the “what.”
  • Boundary-setting notes that are firm and respectful.
  • First drafts that become team rituals because they feel right.

None of it was flashy. All of it mattered.

Because communication isn’t just about what lands — it’s about what lasts.
It’s about how people feel after they read what you wrote.

Let’s Pause Together

If you have a message sitting in drafts—if you’re uncertain how to start, if you’re second-guessing how it sounds, or if you want to express yourself clearly rather than reactively—let me read that for you.

Want to talk shop about what’s really going on behind the scenes? Reach out — no pitch, just a real conversation.

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