37signals: Principles of Communication

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the co-founders of 37signals, have outlined their approach to clear and effective communication. Here are four standout principles:

☑ Silence speaks too.
↳ Ignoring issues or leaving questions unanswered is still communication—and often, it sends a negative message.
↳ Address problems directly, or people will create their own (often inaccurate) interpretations.
↳ Transparent communication stops rumours and builds trust.

☑ Instant responses aren’t necessary.
↳ Expecting immediate replies adds stress and creates a false sense of urgency.
↳ Make it clear when something truly is urgent; otherwise, give people the space to respond thoughtfully.
↳ Respecting others' time leads to more meaningful and well-considered answers.

☑ Ambiguity breeds confusion.
↳ If your words are open to interpretation, people will often fill in the blanks with the worst-case scenario.
↳ Avoid vague language—especially for sensitive topics—by being as straightforward as possible.
↳ Clear communication saves time, prevents misunderstandings, and boosts team confidence.

☑ Take your time; urgency kills clarity.
↳ Rushing through conversations to “get them over with” can leave issues unresolved.
↳ Letting discussions sit, even for a few minutes, often changes perspectives for the better.
↳ Give people time to process and revisit discussions with cooler heads for better results.

You cannot not communicate, not discussing the elephant in the room is communicating

The expectation of immediate response is toxic

If your words can be perceived in different ways, they will be understood in the way which does the most harm

Not saying something is communication. Acting a certain way, seeming like you're hiding something—this is all communication

Either you get to set the tone and set things straight and be clear, or if you don't, someone else is going to step in

The medium shouldn't say that, but the words should say that, or you pick up the phone and call someone

People will often talk about this…our conversations in Basecamp, our threads, will go over a matter of days to discuss something

The tools…encourage the immediacy, encourage the expectation that's going to happen, and yes, could you through just sheer will route around that? Maybe, but no one does

Long form writing is one of the absolute pillars of how we communicate at 37signals

The brighter the light and the less surface area you have, just the fewer things are going to go wrong naturally

You may have to re-explain yourself, and explaining yourself twice is a huge waste of time and it's really frustrating

You want it to be like a flat sheet where you can see everything…Everyone can see everything. There's no hidden meanings here

Sometimes I want something with a little more sparkle…But also maybe this is not the place for that

If you rush through things and you don't really get to all the points, those points still exist in other people's heads

The heat of the moment…that's when things are hot. That's where they might be a little testy

If you just wait five minutes, can you give it five minutes? If you give it five minutes, it's going to cool off

You want people to care. You want to have them argue for their positions…that's all fair

We're not built for that. When you are in the heat of the moment, you are built for pushing your position forward

Do you know what? You're right. Let's just do it your way is a distinct quality of not rushing through