Core Disciplines

3.1 Communication

We Focus on the Receiver

"Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity." — Nat Turner

Clear, respectful, and receiver-focused communication which minimizes noise is the highest priority within TDC's Collaborative OS. We are set on embodying a free flow of honest communication as a force for collective benefit, advancement, and outcomes — something that builds trust and creates lasting results across generations.

Principle of Receiver-Focused Communication

Clarity = message received and understood.

Definition: Effective communication begins with the receiver. Work is not complete until the intended audience has clearly understood the context, message, and next steps.

How It Shows Up: Anticipating the receiver's role, knowledge, and frame of reference; choosing the right medium; confirming that the message was understood and acted on.

Maintaining a Receiver Frame of Reference: The Sky is Blue

Beyond assumptions, we consider the frame of reference of the receiver — their context at the intersection of what we're about to share. Frame of reference includes the receiver's role in the organization or on a given project, and their personal lens on the information you're about to deliver.

Said another way: people hear and interpret things differently than we do. If we say "the sky is blue" assuming the person on the other end agrees, it seems obvious, right? Not so fast.

What If the Receiver...

▸sees it more as the color cyan

▸is colorblind

▸believes blue is an illusion arising out of atmospheric conditions

▸is seeing the sky at sunset, and it looks red

▸is on Jupiter

Receiver-focused communication equips us to meet each other where we are and avoid hard-to-navigate, costly barriers. The point is simple: what seems obvious to us is not always obvious to others. Communication requires us to check assumptions, consider the receiver's frame of reference, and clarify meaning accordingly.

TDC Communication Tools

At TDC, we practice two-way communication across a variety of forms. When we are truly receiver-focused, we select the appropriate tool and use it correctly.

💬

Text Messaging

For shorthand and quick communication — reminders, confirmations, or urgent matters. Not appropriate for complex or sensitive issues.

📧

For formal, professional communication — reports, proposals, invitations. Always spell check, proofread for tone, and use a signature.

📞

Phone Calls

For direct and immediate interaction — appointments, instructions, clarification, problem resolution. Allows vocal tone for greater clarity.

👥

Live Meetings

For collaborative or creative communication — brainstorming, decisions, feedback, presentation. Always use an intentional agenda.

🟦

Microsoft Teams

Chat for quick exchanges. Posts for team-based or project-based communication with channels, threads, and announcements.

📄

Shared Document Review

For multi-source feedback. Always timeframe your response deadline. If writing paragraphs of comment, consider switching to a direct conversation.

↓ Going Deeper with Communication

Five Core Functions of Collaboration

Section 5.8 — Communication is so important it appears again in the Functions

›

3.2 Documentation

Documentation is Communication to the Future

"Documentation = today recorded for tomorrow."

Documentation keeps us moving in the right direction by ensuring history is really documented. It is integral to passing along knowledge, central to transparency and accountability, and its own type of collaboration.

Principle of Future-Focused Documentation

Documentation = today recorded for tomorrow.

Definition: Documentation is communication to the future. It transforms moments into markers that guide our path, creating an objective record that makes knowledge live in the organization, not just in individuals.

How It Shows Up: Created immediately while fresh, written for the receiver, kept clear and simple. It tells the story of what happened, why it matters, and where it leads.

Keys to TDC Documentation

Create immediately — develop it when the information or event is fresh. Memory over time distorts quality and reliability.

Require objectivity — documentation is about what exists, not what you feel about what exists.

A selfless act — a generous recounting that, when archived, proves immeasurably helpful to our progress.

A future audience — begins with a very specific audience: a receiver in the future.

Demand simplicity — simple is not easy. Documentation that is immediately understood requires thoughtfulness, brevity, and care.

Premium on clarity — notes written today should still be clear a year later. Include everything they need and nothing they don't.

Story driven — the piece must tell the story of what went on. A story-based approach ensures clarity.

Act of cartography — the map that shows where we are and where we're going. Include context: what does it arise from and why does it matter?

Be measurable — quantitative data? Qualitative progress? A lesson learned? Name what kind of record it is.

Reporting, not creating — not creation; an act of reporting what happened and why. Requires deep listening and acute observation.

↓ Going Deeper with Documentation

Tracking — The Core Function

Section 5.8.3 — Documentation in collaborative action

›

Continue

Leadership

Section 4 — Ethics, uplift, and trust

›