Professional Communication
Verified@wpank
npx machina-cli add skill @wpank/professional-communication --openclawProfessional Communication
Write clear, effective professional messages that get read and acted upon.
Installation
OpenClaw / Moltbot / Clawbot
npx clawhub@latest install professional-communication
WHAT This Skill Does
Routes you to ready-to-use templates and translation guides for professional technical communication.
WHEN To Use
- Drafting emails (status updates, requests, escalations, introductions)
- Writing Slack/Teams messages
- Preparing meeting agendas or summaries
- Translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences
- Any written communication to teammates, managers, or stakeholders
Core Principle
Key message first. Scannable format. Clear action requested.
Every professional message answers: What do you need to know? Why does it matter? What action (if any) is needed?
Quick Reference: Message Structure
Subject: [Topic]: [Specific Purpose]
[1-2 sentences: key point or request upfront]
**Context:** (if needed)
- Bullet points, not paragraphs
**Action Needed:**
- Specific request with timeline
Route to References
| Task | Load This Reference |
|---|---|
| Writing any email | MANDATORY: Load references/email-templates.md |
| Explaining technical concepts to non-technical people | MANDATORY: Load references/jargon-simplification.md |
| Running or preparing for meetings | MANDATORY: Load references/meeting-structures.md |
| Async/remote team communication | Load references/remote-async-communication.md |
The Four Rules
- Subject lines tell the story - "Project X: Decision Needed by Friday" beats "Question"
- Bullets over paragraphs - Nobody reads walls of text
- Specific asks - "Please review by Thursday" beats "Let me know"
- Match the channel - Chat for quick/informal, Email for records/formal
NEVER
- Send a message without a clear purpose in the first sentence
- Use "Just checking in" without context (include what you're checking on)
- Write paragraphs when bullets would work
- Bury the ask at the bottom
- Use jargon with non-technical audiences
- Send walls of text in chat (use threads)
- Reply-all unnecessarily
- Use passive voice when active is clearer ("We decided" not "It was decided")
Overview
Professional Communication provides ready-to-use templates and translation guides for drafting emails, Slack/Teams messages, meeting agendas, and status updates within software teams. It also equips you to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences, guided by clear structures and channel-appropriate formatting.
How This Skill Works
You access templates and references via the Skill routes and apply the quick message structure. Messages start with a key point, use bullets over paragraphs, and include a specific action with a deadline. The skill links to mandatory references for emails, jargon simplification, meetings, and remote async communication.
When to Use It
- Drafting emails (status updates, requests, escalations, introductions)
- Writing Slack/Teams messages
- Preparing meeting agendas or summaries
- Translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences
- Any written communication to teammates, managers, or stakeholders
Quick Start
- Step 1: Define the purpose and audience.
- Step 2: Choose a template or outline using the four rules.
- Step 3: Send with a clear action and request thread follow-up if needed.
Best Practices
- Subject lines tell the story
- Bullets over paragraphs
- Specific asks
- Match the channel
- Open with the purpose in the first sentence
Example Use Cases
- Subject: Project X Status Update — Actions Needed by Friday\n\nWhat you need to know: X blockers.\nContext: Y.\nAction Needed: Please review by Friday.
- Slack: @team Quick update on PR #123: Blockers A/B. Please review and provide input by EOD.
- Meeting agenda: Q2 Planning — 1) Scope decisions 2) Ownership 3) Risks; Owner: Alice; Due: Friday.
- Jargon translation: Explaining CI/CD to non-technical stakeholders: 'CI/CD automates code builds and deployments, so changes reach users faster with fewer errors.'
- Escalation email: Subject: Urgent: Production issue — workaround required by 2 PM; Summary: incident details and required actions; Please confirm ETA.
