You may be fluent in English, but if you don’t follow these five rules of modern business communication, you’re setting yourself up for misunderstandings and missed opportunities.

These aren’t textbook rules. They come from real workplace interactions and reflect how communication has evolved, especially under the influence of Gen Z’s direct, transparent, and authenticity-driven culture.

Rule 1. Speak up

Speaking up means simply joining the conversation or giving your input, without being directly asked to do it.

Depending on where you come from, you may feel awkward interrupting people or chiming in on a discussion because you’ve been told that’s a rude thing to do.

However, in modern workplaces (especially if it’s international or US-based), speaking up is welcome and expected.
So if you have a question, an idea, or a concern, don’t wait for people to call on you — voice it.
In the modern international business environment, it’s completely okay to interrupt, but you have to do it respectfully and with purpose.

When not to interrupt:
- When someone’s in the middle of explaining an idea or giving instructions.

When you can interrupt:
- When someone finishes talking, or when you have something to add to the point that was just mentioned, that’s your moment to step in.

Useful phrases:
“Can I jump in for a second?”
“If I may add something before we move on…”
“Just wanted to add something real quick.”
“Sorry to interrupt — just a quick thought on that.”

Rule 2. Give honest feedback

Modern business communication is built on honesty and authenticity.
That is especially important when you give feedback.

It’s crucial to give genuine feedback, with no sugar coating, while still avoiding being harsh (= aggressive).

The key is to balance positive and constructive feedback.

Try this simple formula:
Observation → Reason → Suggestion

1. Observation: Say what you noticed.
2. Reason: Explain why it matters.
3. Suggestion: Offer a way to improve or continue.

For example:

“I thought some parts of the presentation moved a bit too fast. The thing is, when there’s that much information, people need a few seconds to process the key ideas. Next time, I’d suggest doing a quick recap after each main point so it really sticks. What do you think? Does that make sense?”

You can use the same approach to give positive feedback as well. For instance:

“I just wanted to say you’re doing an awesome job jumping in to help others — that really supports the team. Keep it up, just don’t forget to take time off when you need it!

Rule 3. Open up a dialogue

This is somewhat connected to the second rule. Honest feedback is a two-way street.

As a rule of thumb, after you give feedback or share ideas, invite people to share their feedback with you.

Get into the habit of using phrases like:
“What do you think?”
“How does that sound to you?”
“I’d love to hear your thoughts now.”
“Anything you’d add from your side?”

Example:

“Here’s the plan for next week. What do you think? Does this timeline work for you?”

Rule 4. Use BLUF

In modern communication, people appreciate it when you get to the point first, then provide details later, and BLUF is a very common communication technique for that.

BLUF stands for Bottom Line Up Front. In English, the term ‘bottom line’ is slang for ‘the most important part’. This literally means starting your message with the most crucial piece of information — like an update or a key result — and then adding the supporting details afterward.

Example:

“We’ll need to postpone the release by one week — the new API isn’t stable yet.”

Then you can explain why or how.

It shows respect for people’s time, keeps meetings efficient, and emails readable.

Quick tip:
When you’ve written an email, review it and identify the key message. If it’s buried somewhere in the middle or at the bottom, move it to the top.

Rule 5. Embracing changing language

Language evolves — the way people communicated in the 90s is not how we communicate today. This sounds simple, but even native speakers struggle with embracing these changes.

Specifically, Gen Z communication often sounds more casual than what older generations are used to.

Example:
When someone says: “Thank you!”
An older professional might reply: “You’re welcome.”
But a younger one might say “No problem!” or “No worries!”

The key is to embrace the new communication style but stay tolerant of the old.

So if you notice a misunderstanding, feel free to speak up and educate people. Just make sure to stay polite about it. You could say something like:

‘Oh, by the way, some people use “No worries” instead of “You’re welcome” — it’s just a newer, more casual way to say it.’”

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