Okay so I'm trying to figure something out about how people communicate in professional Slack/Discord channels and I've narrowed it down to two approaches but I can't decide which one is actually better for my situation. I work remotely for a mid-size company and we have these big team channels where people ask questions or post updates and I keep seeing two totally different styles that both seem to get results but in really different ways.
The first style is the super direct, almost blunt approach where someone just posts the question or the update with no greeting, no small talk, maybe just "Status on X is delayed until Thursday. Need input on Y by EOD." Short sentences, no emoji, nothing extra. People respond fast and the thread stays tight but sometimes it feels a little cold or even like the person is annoyed. The second style is the opposite where someone leads with a bit of context like "Hey everyone, hope your morning is going well. Quick question about X..." and they add a little emoji or a "thanks" at the end. The replies come slower and sometimes the thread drifts but people seem more willing to engage and offer help beyond just the bare minimum.
Which one is better for building credibility as a professional who is relatively new to the team? I want to be taken seriously and not seen as rude or demanding but I also don't want to waste people's time with fluff. I feel like the direct style might be seen as efficient or assertive while the warmer style might be seen as more collaborative but also maybe a little too casual. Is there a golden rule here or does it depend on the specific channel culture? Because I've been trying both and I get different responses but I can't tell which one is actually helping my reputation.
The first style is the super direct, almost blunt approach where someone just posts the question or the update with no greeting, no small talk, maybe just "Status on X is delayed until Thursday. Need input on Y by EOD." Short sentences, no emoji, nothing extra. People respond fast and the thread stays tight but sometimes it feels a little cold or even like the person is annoyed. The second style is the opposite where someone leads with a bit of context like "Hey everyone, hope your morning is going well. Quick question about X..." and they add a little emoji or a "thanks" at the end. The replies come slower and sometimes the thread drifts but people seem more willing to engage and offer help beyond just the bare minimum.
Which one is better for building credibility as a professional who is relatively new to the team? I want to be taken seriously and not seen as rude or demanding but I also don't want to waste people's time with fluff. I feel like the direct style might be seen as efficient or assertive while the warmer style might be seen as more collaborative but also maybe a little too casual. Is there a golden rule here or does it depend on the specific channel culture? Because I've been trying both and I get different responses but I can't tell which one is actually helping my reputation.
