On 'Communication is The Job' by Andrew Bosworth
Effective communication is a fundamental skill, and one I am always working to improve. In his post, “Communication is The Job”, Andrew ‘Boz’ Bosworth[1] provides a clear, actionable framework that supports this goal of continuous development. He argues that communication is not an auxiliary function but the central task for anyone connecting people with information.
Given that we cannot prevent communication, we must embrace it. While perfect communication is impossible, my goal is to get most people most of the information most of the time.
Boz outlines eight practical strategies to improve communication.
Eight Strategies for Effective Communication
- Layer Your Message: Structure your communication so the audience can engage at their desired level of detail. Start with the core theme, then key points, then the full details.
- Consider the Second Order Audience: Your message will be repeated by others. Frame it in a way that is memorable and can be shared with high fidelity.
- Communicate Defensively: Before sharing, consider the most cynical interpretation of your message and refine it to minimise the chance of misinterpretation.
- Repetition is Key: Repeat the critical message multiple times within a single communication and across different communications to aid retention.
- Use Multiple Channels: People absorb information differently. Use a mix of channels—meetings, posts, one-on-ones—to reach everyone.
- Maintain Channels: Regularly use your communication channels with high-quality content so that the audience trusts them and stays engaged.
- Communicate Early and Often: Do not wait for perfect information. It is better to share the current state of understanding and revise it later than to let a vacuum be filled by rumours.
- Debug Miscommunication: If your message is not landing, it is your fault, not the audience’s. Take full responsibility, ask questions to understand the gap, and correct the message for everyone.
The principle of taking ownership for miscommunication provides a clear path for improvement. Rather than getting frustrated, the task becomes to diagnose the failure and correct it.
When I’m doing a poor job of communicating it can feel like I’m pushing with a rope… It can be a frustrating experience and it is tempting to blame the audience for not understanding. But make no mistake, when this happens, it is your fault.
This perspective transforms communication from a vague talent into a concrete skill that can be systematically debugged and improved—a powerful mindset for growth.
Andrew “Boz” Bosworth is the CTO of Meta and a long-time executive at the company. ↩︎
