The Secret to Clearer Virtual Communication

If you’ve ever had an email or message taken the wrong way, you’re not alone. Virtual communication—whether through meetings, chats, or emails—often strips away tone, body language, and context, leaving plenty of room for misinterpretation.

Whole Brain? Thinking provides a simple framework to bridge that gap, helping you communicate in a way that connects with different thinking styles. Try these small adjustments in how you craft emails, messages, and meetings to make your virtual communication clearer and more effective for every audience.

Provide Context

Every message you send comes from a specific frame of reference, but your team may not share that same mindset. Without context, email and chat messages can feel abrupt or confusing, leading to misunderstandings.

Preempt the problem by explaining what’s happening, why you’re communicating, and the bigger picture. This is especially helpful for Experimental (Yellow) Thinkers, who focus on “why” and enjoy synthesizing information.

Share the Plan

Set expectations by providing a high-level agenda or plan that aligns with the communication format. Whether it’s an email, chat, or meeting, giving a sense of structure helps everyone stay on the same page.

Structural (Green) Thinkers thrive on checklists and clear sequences, but this kind of clarity benefits everyone—especially in a virtual setting.

Clarify the Facts

Share key facts and data so people understand what they’re working toward and how success will be measured. Without concrete details, decisions can feel arbitrary, and priorities can get lost.

Analytical (Blue) Thinkers rely on logic and data, but everyone benefits from knowing the facts behind an initiative.

Create Space for Engagement

Communication isn’t just about delivering information—it’s about making it stick. Stories, discussions, and interactive elements help people connect with your message and retain it.

Frame your communication with relatable anecdotes, real examples, or open discussions to engage Relational (Red) Thinkers, who process information best through human connection.

By incorporating context, structure, facts, and engagement, you'll account for every team member’s thinking preference. Whether through email, chat, or video, these small shifts can help your virtual communication resonate with every audience.

Your Whole Brain? Reading List

• Achieving Team Alignment with Whole Brain? Thinking
• Cracking the Collaboration Code: 6 Workplace Challenges HBDI? Pair Profiles Can Help Fix
• Understand Yourself Better as a Leader

[Guide] Are Teams Broken? Or Just Not Using Their Heads?

In today’s fast-paced business world, teams struggle with misalignment, inefficiency, and unclear decision-making. Without a thinking-based system, they fail to tap into their full potential.

Traditional team-building activities rarely create lasting change. The key isn’t just bringing people together—it’s understanding how they think and applying that knowledge to real challenges.

By shifting focus from exercises to how people process information, teams build trust faster, streamline communication, and make better decisions.

Download our guide “Are Teams Broken? Or Just Not Using Their Heads?” to explore the latest research on team effectiveness and learn how to overcome common challenges.

About This Newsletter

Are you bringing your Whole Brain? to work?

We created this newsletter to help employees at all levels decode and harness their cognitive diversity through the Whole Brain? Thinking Model. Each issue highlights actionable tips for better understanding your thinking preferences — and other people’s preferences — so you can unlock better thinking, performance, and results in your flow of work.

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