1.6 Your Communication Playbook
Time: ~20 minutes
What You'll Learn
- How to identify your most common recurring email types
- How to build reusable templates that don't sound robotic
- The difference between a template and a framework
- How to customize templates for your voice and your role
Key Concepts
Why Templates Matter
Most people write the same 5-10 types of emails over and over:
- Status updates
- Meeting follow-ups
- Requests for information
- Project kickoffs
- Thank-you / acknowledgment messages
If you're writing these from scratch every time, you're wasting hours each week.
Templates vs. Frameworks
- Template — A fill-in-the-blank structure for a specific email type. Good for routine messages.
- Framework — A set of principles for a category of messages. Good for situations that vary (like the hard emails from lesson 1.3).
You need both. Templates for speed, frameworks for judgment.
Building Your Playbook
For each recurring email type:
- Name it — "Weekly status update to leadership"
- Define the structure — What sections does it always have?
- Write a starter version — Not perfect, just a starting point
- Add notes — Reminders about tone, common mistakes, things to include
In This Lesson
Claude will help you identify your top recurring email types based on your role. Then you'll build 3-4 real templates together — customized for your voice, your audience, and your actual work. You'll leave this lesson with a playbook you can start using immediately.
This is the most practical lesson in the course.
How to Start
start lesson 1.6