Slack

Your Slack messages are probably driving your colleagues crazy right now 😅

Don't Do This 🚫

Screenshot of a sequence of Slack messages all sent by Neeraj at 7:45 PM. The messages are sequential: First message: 'hi'; Second message: 'are you there ?'; Third message: 'need help with deployment' followed by a nerd face emoji; Final message: 'nvm, figured it out'

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Screenshot of a Slack message posted at 7:52 PM by Neeraj. The message reads 'Hey! Having issues with the deployment pipeline. Getting a 503 error when running docker-compose up. Do you know what could be the possible reason for this

Sending multiple fragments creates notification noise and makes it harder to follow conversations. Complete messages provide better context and respect everyone's time! 🎯

Don't Do This 🚫

Screenshot of a single Slack message posted by anshul at 8:13 PM. The message reads 'What's the URL for the staging environment again?' followed by a thinking face emoji.

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🔍 Search first, then ask if you can't find it! 💡

Slack's search feature is powerful! Using it helps reduce repetitive questions and keeps channels focused on new discussions 🎯. Read this guide on Slack's seach features to search like a pro

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Screenshot of a Slack thread in the #engineering channel. The initial message posted 1 hour ago by anshul reads '@backend https://api.zivy.app/tags/feeds, is very slow, on an average it's taking around 700-800 ms' with '2 replies' indicated below. In the thread, WckD responds 1 hour ago with 'Yes, being fixed.' The final reply is from Harkirat (Rocket) from 3 minutes ago, saying '@WckD Thanks for quick response' followed by a smiling face emoji.

Try This Instead ✨

Screenshot of a Slack thread in the #engineering channel. The initial message posted 1 hour ago by anshul reads '@backend https://api.zivy.app/tags/feeds, is very slow, on an average it's taking around 700-800 ms' with '2 replies' indicated below. In the thread, WckD responds 1 hour ago with 'Yes, being fixed.' Their message has one thumbs up emoji reaction and a refresh.

Keep Slack threads organized by using reactions (👍 or ✅) instead of "thanks" messages to acknowledge completed discussions. This helps avoid reopening old threads and reduces unnecessary notifications for everyone involved. Reactions convey acknowledgment just as effectively while keeping the conversation tidy. Additionally, use Slack reminders to follow up on unresolved items.

Don't Do This 🚫

Screenshot of a Slack conversation thread. The initial message posted 30 minutes ago by Harkirat (Rocket) reads '@frontend-team Team, a quick summary from today's product strategy meeting: We prioritise the AI features for the Q1 launch.' This message has a question mark emoji reaction and a refresh icon, with '2 replies' indicated below. In the thread, Harkirat (Rocket) responds 25 minutes ago with '@anshul you reacted with ❓ Please share your queries in this thread'. The final reply is from anshul from 5 minutes ago, asking 'What are AI features, are these part of our annual automation roadmap?

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Screenshot of a Slack conversation starting with a thread. At 10:05 PM Friday, Harkirat (Rocket) initiates the thread with '@frontend-team Team, a quick summary from today's product strategy meeting: We prioritise the AI features for the Q1 launch.' In the threaded replies, at 10:06 PM Friday, anshul responds 'Hi Harkirat, thanks for the update, can you please share the list of these AI features and also are these part of our annual automation roadmap?

Avoid reacting with "❓" on messages - it creates uncertainty without context and forces others to prompt you for the actual question. Instead, directly ask your specific question, providing relevant details. Don't ask to ask, just ask

Don't Do This 🚫

Screenshot of a Slack message posted by Harkirat (Rocket) on Friday at 10:21 PM. The message contains a detailed announcement about tomorrow's feature deployment, formatted as a single paragraph. The text explains the deployment plan, emphasizes the need for all team members to be available during the two-hour deployment window, warns about possible system downtime, and encourages team members to ask questions if they need clarification

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Screenshot of a Slack message from Harkirat (Rocket) posted Friday at 10:23 PM. The message is a Feature Deployment Update tagged with '@team' and contains a bulleted list: When: Tomorrow, 9 AM EST; Duration: 2 hours; Action: All hands required; Impact: Possible system downtime; The message ends with 'Questions? Thread below' followed by a pointing down emoji.

Not everyone reads your long Slack messages-that's a myth. Lengthy messages can disrupt team focus and reduce productivity. Adopt the '3-line rule': if your message is longer than three lines, format it with bullets, headers, or highlights. This simple tweak can improve clarity and ensure your key points are noticed.