When work slows down, it’s easy to blame the pile of tasks, the meetings, or the deadlines. But sometimes the delay starts before anyone gets to the work: a request leaves too much for the next person to figure out.

How colleagues ask, answer, and hand things off can shape what happens next. A clear message gives someone enough to get started, while a good conversation makes it easier to spot a misunderstanding before it turns into rework.

The Cost of a Vague Request

When you send a request that leaves the other person guessing, they may stop to ask follow-up questions or start work on the wrong thing. Either way, the work you meant to set in motion takes longer to get done.

A manager who asks someone to look into a client issue could get a general account update. Asking for last month’s refunds for a particular account, with anything over $500 flagged by Thursday, gives the colleague a defined task. The account, date range, threshold, and deadline each answer a different question.

Writing for a Quick Read

People may read your message between other tasks. Put the decision you need in the first line, not the fourth paragraph. Then give the context underneath so the recipient can see why it matters without having to dig through the background first.

Keep each paragraph to one point, especially when a message needs both an explanation and instructions. Use active voice to make it clear who should act. If the recipient needs a colleague’s approval before proceeding, name the approver rather than leaving the message at ‘approval is needed.’ Explain unfamiliar technical terms the first time they appear in a message.

Meetings That End on Time

A meeting without a stated purpose can drift. Send the agenda in advance, name who owns each item, and write down who does what before anyone leaves. If there’s a decision to make, put it on the agenda so people know what they’re being asked to settle.

Google’s Project Aristotle identified clear expectations and a shared understanding of how to meet them as factors in team effectiveness at Google. The researchers also found that people’s willingness to ask questions or admit mistakes was more closely tied to effectiveness than clarity alone.

Checking What You Heard

Before you start work, try repeating the request back in one sentence. If a colleague asks for a report, confirm that they want it by Friday and that it should cover only the third quarter. That gives them a chance to correct the deadline or scope before you begin.

If you still aren’t sure what the report should cover, ask about the part that’s unclear. For example, find out whether the colleague wants the quarter’s figures on their own or a comparison with the previous quarter. Those are different assignments even if the due date stays the same.

Testing a Shorter Meeting

If a recurring meeting keeps filling its time without reaching a decision, try capping it at 25 minutes. Move updates that don’t need discussion into a written note beforehand. Keep the meeting for questions people need to work through together or decisions that need input from the group.

Afterward, check whether the group made the decision it came to make. If it didn’t, note what got in the way: the group might have been missing information or needed someone with the authority to decide. Address that before changing the meeting length again.

Before forwarding a long email thread, add a short note saying why you’re passing it on. If only part of the thread matters, point the recipient to the message they need.