The Best Way to Deliver Your Message - Format Follows Intention
- Liza Engel
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
Last week, I shared a two-minute AI prompt to help you clarify what you actually want to say, before writing a single word.
This week is step three: once your message is clear, how do you choose the best way to deliver it?
How you share a message can make or break how it’s received.
A few years ago, a leader I worked with wanted to announce a significant change in his organization. He wrote what was undoubtedly a carefully crafted email.
The problem? The decision would profoundly affect his team’s daily work - and it landed cold.
He hit send. And the ripple effect began. The format didn’t match the moment.
In hindsight, a conversation, whether face-to-face or virtual, would have served far better. This was a moment that matters. Profoundly.
This case might seem obvious. But often, it’s not. We default to speed when warmth is needed. Or we speak when we should be listening.
AI can help us polish words, but it can’t (yet) sense how those words will land. That part is still up to us.
The invisible layer of leadership: format and tone
Every message carries two layers:
1. The content – what you’re saying.
2. The container – how it’s delivered and experienced.
The first is easy to draft. The second takes empathy.
Before you post, email, or schedule a meeting, ask yourself:
• How do I want the recipient to feel?
• What level of presence or sensitivity is needed?
• Does this format invite understanding - or deliver information?
This is where AI can be a powerful reflection partner. Try prompting it with:
“Given this message, what are three ways I could deliver it more effectively for this audience?”
or
“Help me choose between email, meeting, or Teams post - what are the pros and cons of each for this situation?”
AI can surface options. But your final judgment is human.
The 3C Filter
Once your message is clear, run it through this short check before hitting send:
1. Content – Is the message clear, truthful, and necessary?
2. Context – Who needs to hear it, and what’s happening around them right now?
3. Connection – What tone, channel, or format will help them actually feel seen or informed?
If one of these feels off - pause. Reconsider the delivery before refining the words.
The responsible step
Before your next big message, AI-assisted or not, ask yourself:
What’s the most considerate way to deliver this?
AI can generate text in any tone or structure. You show your leadership also in the human choice of format.
Sometimes that means sending a message. Sometimes it means having a conversation.
Next week, we’ll close this three-part clarity series with a step many leaders overlook: the post-message moment.
How do you make sure your message truly lands, and what do you do when it doesn’t?
Communication is not about ticking off boxes on your to-do list and it doesn’t end when you hit send.