nwv brief #36: types of communication

dear founder,

most conversations miss not because of what’s said—but because of what’s assumed.

in my experience, there are three types of communication:

1. decision-based — what is this about? what are we doing?

2. identity-based — who are you? how do you see the world?

3. emotion-based — how are you feeling right now?

misunderstandings happen when we expect one & get another.

personally—

I’m a verbal processor. I talk to think. I move fast, sometimes too fast.

what helps is speaking with people who give me space to process without trying to solve me.
what hurts is when advice comes before understanding.

I don’t need to be directed. I need to be in dialogue.

especially when the decisions affect people I care about.
I value relationships more than being right. I want to stay in communication with the people who are building this with me—not just to make better decisions, but to stay connected through them.

on identity—

I used to believe productivity was everything.
that momentum meant progress. that output meant worth.

I still want to build something meaningful. but not at the cost of becoming someone I’m not.

now, I prioritize intentionality.
not because it’s trendy—but because it’s honest.

success isn’t one-size-fits-all.
there’s no standard path. no single definition. no finish line.

I want to build with people who get that—who don’t need everything to fit inside a neat frame.

emotion doesn’t always show up as vulnerability. sometimes it shows up as clarity.

a while ago, I was questioning my leadership.
I didn’t say it out loud—but someone close to me looked me in the eye & said:

“I’d follow you off a cliff.”

it was exactly what I didn’t know I needed to hear.

not because it was flattery.
but because it was accurate.

they saw something in me I had temporarily lost sight of.
they reflected back the part of me I was still becoming.

that’s emotional communication too.
not naming the feeling—but knowing what matters in the moment.

why this matters—

we’re constantly cycling through all three types.
strategy. worldview. emotion.

the challenge isn’t learning which one is “right.”
it’s noticing which one is happening.
& knowing when to shift.

this week’s reflection:

• when was the last time someone understood what you needed—before you did?

reply if something comes to mind. one sentence is enough.

with purpose, vision, & appreciation,
Brooke