Brendan Hufford's Linkedin Analytics

6:47pm. I'm ripped away from my kids arguing over garlic rolls as a Slack message from my boss pops up. "Hey can you hop in my Zoom for a second?" My stomach tightens. I swear the rotini instantly goes ice cold on my fork. Then... panic. It's after work hours. They want to talk face to face. Am I about to get more tasks when I'm already drowning? Is there a problem with my work? Did I miss a deadline? Who just quit? I'm fired. I'm definitely fired. Honest to god the best workplace tip I ever received was: QUESTION + CONTEXT The second part always get's left out. We've all received messages like: - "How's [project] coming along?" - "How's [person] doing?" - "How are you using [tool]?" Each one launches a tiny stress bomb into your day. Each one pulls you out of flow state or family time. The leaders I respect most write differently: + "Hey can you come in my office real quick? I'd like to discuss the timeline for the new campaign to make sure I'm giving you enough time and focus to make it A+ work." + "Can you hop in my Zoom for a second? I want to get your thoughts on the new UI mockups." + "How's [project] coming along? I'm thinking about featuring it in next month's all-hands." This simple change doesn't just reduce anxiety. It shows respect for your time. It allows you to prepare mentally. It transforms every interaction from interruption to invitation. It takes 5 extra seconds. The ROI is immeasurable. It's crazy how many leaders still don't realize the anxiety their "quick question" messages create... Yet the fix is absurdly simple. Five. Extra. Seconds. Context included. Respect conveyed. There's a hidden superpower in those five seconds... if you know how to use them.