I Know You Didn't Post That!
Had so much fun sharing my highly interactive FaceWork Simulations at Calhoun Community College’s in-service on Friday, Sept 5th!
I led a workshop, The Digital Ripple Effect: How Our Posts, Messages, and Emails Shape Workplace Climate and How to Fix It, where we explored how digital behaviors—across platforms like email, Slack, Google Reviews, Zoom, Twitter, and social media—can make or break workplace culture.
Through scenario-based training, participants:
- Identified their dominant digital style
- Applied the STAR method within their style to strengthen interactions across digital platforms
- Left with apps and tools to continue building clarity, confidence, and intentionality in digital communication
Together, we tackled real-world scenarios (some a little too real, lol) and saw how even subtle choices in tone, phrasing, and response can ripple into motivation, trust, and relationships at work.
How the STAR Approach Helps Each Style
The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) isn’t just for interviews—it’s a framework that helps each digital style refine their communication, especially when the tone or content could easily be misread online. Here’s how it played out in our workshop:
- Leaders (Explicit + Reserved)
Leaders are decisive and structured, known for their ability to cut through noise with clear direction. Their reserved nature means they often keep emotions or extra details out of digital messages, which can make their tone come across as abrupt. The STAR method helps Leaders balance clarity with context—ensuring their posts or emails explain not just what needs to be done, but also the “why” and the potential impact. This makes their authority feel purposeful and motivating rather than distant. - Collaborators (Explicit + Receptive)
Collaborators naturally encourage dialogue and inclusion but can overextend messages or pile on too much detail. STAR helps them streamline their digital content, giving recognition while staying focused so their encouragement doesn’t get lost in wordiness. - Innovators (Implicit + Reserved)
Innovators are idea-driven but can be vague in digital communication. Using STAR grounds their creativity in a structure that highlights the practical steps and outcomes of their ideas, making them easier for teams to act on. - Stabilizers (Implicit + Receptive)
Stabilizers are excellent listeners who bring calm and balance, creating a steadying presence in digital spaces. They value predictability and are often cautious—even critical—of sudden change. Their silence may sometimes be misread as resistance or disengagement. STAR helps Stabilizers voice concerns respectfully and highlight impacts without sounding confrontational, allowing them to preserve harmony while constructively guiding progress.
I’m grateful for my colleagues, the energy they brought, and our shared commitment to making workplace communication more intentional, effective, and human-centered.
Ready to Strengthen Your Digital Communication?
If you’re curious about how your digital style shapes the way others see you—or if you’d like to bring FaceWork Simulations or the IntraPersona Matrix into your workplace or classroom—I’d love to connect.
👉 Explore more of my work at FaceWork Simulations or reach out to start a conversation about tailoring these tools for your team.
Because at the end of the day, your words don’t just disappear—they ripple.