Here are some general rules of thumb to guide our communications:

• Be proactive — tell me what you need. This includes coming to knock on my door even if it seems like you are interrupting, emailing me to set up a time to meet, or catching me before or after lab meeting. In all likelihood I will not check in with you as often as I’d like, so it is up to you to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
  
• Write things down and remind me what we’ve talked about. Before we meet, prepare an agenda and share it with me. Take notes while we’re talking. I would love to remember everything we decided when we last met, but this doesn’t always happen. Don’t hesitate to bring me up to speed when we meet. Even if I already remember what we are talking about, a couple of introductory topic sentences will help get me in the right frame of mind.
• Read all of the lab documentation. You are responsible for knowing what the rules are, following the rules and guidelines we have set up, and notifying someone if you find incorrect information (or if you have questions).
• I can be the most helpful to everyone if you are a little bit strategic in what you ask me. Please do a little research, e.g. a Google search, before shooting me off a question.

Communicating effectively is a responsibility that we share.

Here are some skills that I strive to practice in my communication. By following these, it will help you take responsibility for your communications, and help you become more effective at communicating with me and other people:

1. Clarity: Clear writing and speech allows me to understand your intended message. Consider your choice of words and structure to have your message as simple to follow as possible.
2. Completeness: Be sure to include all required components and try to anticipate questions that I may have, and prepare answers in advance. Your message should be complete enough for me to take action and/or respond.
3. Conciseness: Be brief where you can so your message is not drawn out to confuse me (I’m easily confused!). Ask yourself: is this sentence is necessary, or will deleting it make my message clearer and more direct? Be concise enough while providing all of the necessary information to be complete, it can be a balancing act.
4. Concreteness: Reinforce your words with specific details to eliminate the possibility of me misunderstanding or doubting your message.
5. Correctness: Make sure that the message you are sending is correct containing accurate information. Utilize reliable sources when gathering research for your message. When providing this information to me and others, be sure your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct as well.
6. Courtesy: Respect others and remember that your communication reflects directly on you. Be sure your choice of words and approach is always professional and courteous to me and others who may be hearing/reading it.
7. Creativity: Use your voice to interpret and relay information in a way that suits you best. Be creative in your approach to the message and allow for your message to reflect your personality.