I didn’t always think my team needed a “communication protocol.”
Last week I found myself reflecting on a past project that went off the rails due to miscommunication. Back then, our team was scattered across time zones, drowning in email chains and chat pings. It was chaotic—and frankly, frustrating.
I remembered scrambling between Slack messages and emails, wondering which one my boss checked first. I recalled late-night text messages that really weren’t urgent and could have waited.
This concept is pretty simple yet powerful, and it’s come up twice again for me recently, in conversations with Theresa M. Ward & Maura Thomas.
I decided to take a deep dive and create a resource for it, so I hope this is helpful! There’s a better way to communicate, and it starts with some clear guidelines.
Photo from Pexels
What’s a communication protocol?
It’s basically a shared guide for how your team communicates. Think of it as a set of team agreements on when to email, Slack, call, or meet. Formally, a communication protocol is a set of rules or guidelines that govern how team members interact— which channels to use, how quickly to respond, and how to escalate urgent issues. In my interview, Theresa described it as “a shared document” with “a set of agreements… somewhat democratically determined, that guides how you initiate communication, how you respond… and how you escalate communication.” In other words, it’s a playbook defining the who/what/when of team communication so everyone’s on the same page.
It’s a guide, not a gag order.
The word “protocol” might sound strict, but the point isn’t to police everyone’s every word. You can think of it, and treat it, as a “situational communication guide” to keep the tone soft and collaborative. The goal is not to create a rigid policy with punishments for breaking it – it’s to give your team clarity. No one’s getting fired for texting when they should have emailed, but having agreed-upon norms removes guesswork. Think of it as guardrails that keep communication flowing smoothly without stifling anyone’s personality.
Why Having a Protocol Matters?
Photo from Unsplash
Clarity beats chaos.
Without clear communication guidelines, teams often swim in confusion. We’ve all heard (or made) complaints like “I never got a response to my email” or “I didn’t know you needed that ASAP.” A protocol pre-empts that by spelling out expectations. When everyone knows, for example, that project questions go in the team chat (not long email threads) and that emails can sit for 24 hours before reply, work gets less stressful. It’s not just touchy-feely: 41% of employees say poor communication directly decreases their productivity. Conversely, teams that communicate effectively can boost productivity by up to 25%. Clarity means people spend less time wondering “Should I text or email?” and more time actually working.
Less frustration, more flow.
A good protocol reduces the little annoyances that can sour a workday. Ever felt your blood pressure rise because a coworker ghosted your message? Or gotten pinged in five places about the same thing? Clear norms help here, too. When everyone agrees on the right channel for each situation and the expected response times, you’ll see fewer crossed wires. There’s evidence that unclear communication isn’t just a minor issue – 30% of workers report being frustrated by unclear direction from their managers. Over time, those frustrations erode morale. Setting some communication ground rules can nip many misunderstandings in the bud and keep team relationships smoother.
Efficiency and focus.
By deciding which communications warrant a meeting versus a message, a protocol also protects everyone’s time. It helps differentiate between synchronous communication (real-time calls or meetings) and asynchronous communication (emails, chat messages people can reply to later). That means fewer unnecessary meetings and interruptions. As one Forbes report noted, effective communication practices can improve efficiency significantly, even yielding hard results like 25% higher productivity. The bottom line: when your team isn’t constantly distracted by mixed signals or waiting on replies, they can focus and get more done.
How to Create a Communication Protocol (Step-by-Step)
Photo from Unsplash
Ready to get started? The good news is you don’t need to be a manager to draft a protocol – anyone on the team can take initiative. Here’s a straightforward process to build one:
Gather your team’s input and list your channels.
Start by taking stock of how your team currently communicates. Make a list of all the communication channels and tools you use (email, Slack/Teams, phone, text, Zoom, etc.). Talk to your teammates about their communication preferences and pain points. Theresa emphasized the importance of self-awareness here: “I have a strong preference for typed asynchronous communication. I’m realizing that that has places where it’s most effective and places where it’s not.” In other words, get everyone to share what works for them and where miscommunications happen.Define the purpose of each channel (and expected response times).
For each tool on your list, agree on when and how to use it. For example: “Use the team chat for quick questions or updates that need a same-day response. Use email for longer discussions or anything that can wait 24 hours.” Be as specific as possible. Along with usage, nail down expected response times: e.g. Slack messages should be answered within a few hours during work hours, emails within one business day. This clarity sets expectations: if I Slack you at 10am, I know whether I should expect an answer by lunch or if tomorrow is perfectly fine.Establish urgency levels and escalation paths.
One of the biggest sources of stress is not knowing what’s truly “urgent.” This came up twice on the show, once in the discussion with Maura Thomas, and again with Theresa, so I think of this as doubly important. As you create your protocol, define what counts as urgent and how to escalate. Decide as a team what an “emergency” looks like in your context (e.g. a system outage, a client crisis, a same-day deadline issue). Then outline the steps to escalate communication if something urgent arises or if someone doesn’t respond in the normal timeframe. Rather than slapping an “emergency” label on everything, think in terms of escalation levels. “Maybe it’s Slack first, and if you don’t get a response in X hours, then escalate to a phone call.”Document it in a simple, shareable format.
Now take all these decisions and write them down in a clean, easy-to-use document. A simple start would be a basic two-column table: the first column lists the communication channel (e.g. “Email” or “Team Chat – #general channel” or “Phone call”), and the second column describes how we use it. Include a note about response expectations for each channel if relevant. At the top of the doc, you might add a short intro explaining this guide is for your team’s communications and was created with everyone’s input. At the bottom, it’s wise to acknowledge that exceptions exist – no protocol covers every scenario.Get agreement and finalize it together.
Once you have a draft, share it with the whole team for feedback. This step is crucial for buy-in. Adjust the guidelines if needed so they’re actually workable for all. In the end, everyone should nod and say, “Yes, we agree to do our best to follow this.” Finally, put the document in an easy-to-find place (like your shared drive or wiki) and communicate it out. Congratulations, you’ve now got a team communication protocol!
Template You Can Use To Get Your Started.
Making the Most of Your Communication Protocol
Photo from Unsplash
Lead by example and keep it visible.
If you’re a team lead (or even just an enthusiastic team member), model the behaviors in the protocol. Refer to it when deciding how to contact someone: “I chose to email this request because our protocol suggests Slack is just for quick questions.” Make the document easily accessible for yourself. Consider a brief refresher in team meetings. Add it to new-hire onboarding materials. Be a “chief reminding officer” — gently repeating expectations until they become second nature. In the beginning you’ll be changing the culture. Patience is key.
Encourage team adoption (and handle outliers privately).
Change can be hard, especially if people have been set in their ways. Encourage everyone to give the new protocol a try for a few weeks. Discuss how it’s going, and invite feedback. Positive reinforcement helps. If someone consistently goes rogue, handle it with empathy. A friendly nudge is often all that’s needed.
Be flexible for remote and hybrid teams.
In remote or distributed teams, a communication protocol is even more critical. Remote teams should pay special attention to time zones and asynchronous communication. Encourage use of statuses so colleagues know when not to expect an immediate reply. Little additions, like “Assume positive intent in messages,” can go a long way for remote team harmony.
Extend it beyond your team when needed.
A communication protocol isn’t just an internal tool; you can adapt its principles for working with other groups, clients, or vendors. When starting a cross-department project, consider having a mini communication protocol for the project team. If you work with clients or outside partners, you can set expectations upfront. I’ve found that many clients appreciate being told, “For anything urgent, call my cell; otherwise email me and I’ll reply within one business day.” Clear communication about communication can set the right expectations from the start.
The takeaway:
Don’t leave team communication to chance. A little upfront effort creating a communication protocol can pay off in a big way. It’s about reducing friction and misunderstandings so that work (and life) gets easier. When your team has clear norms, you spend less time putting out fires or feeling frustrated and more time in the productive “flow” state. Even better, you make space for the human side of work – trust, respect, and empathy grow when people aren’t constantly annoyed at each other’s communication habits. Whether you’re leading a distributed team or just trying to make your day less hectic, consider giving a communication protocol a try.
It might just be the simple win that propels your team’s productivity – and sanity – to the next level.
References:
LaunchNotes – “Team Communication Protocol” (definition of team communication protocol)
Sociabble – “15 Workplace Communication Statistics You Need to Know”, 2023. (Effective communication boosts productivity by 25%)
Pumble – “Workplace Communication Statistics (2025)”, 2025. (Poor communication reduces productivity for 41% of employees)
Harvard Business Review – Tsipursky, G. “Poor Communication May Be Slowing Down Your Team”, Oct 2023. (30% of workers frustrated by unclear communication from bosses)
Productivity Gladiator® – “Your Communication Protocol Can Make or Break Your Team’s Productivity” . (Guidance on creating and adopting team communication protocols)
I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. After spending a career hands-on in the trenches as a leader at all levels, I now train Productivity Gladiators to level up their careers. Graduates wield superpowers in time management, practical leadership, communication, & productivity. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat!
“Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.”