Most of us have seen those long Slack messages or emails from enthusiastic junior employees. They often include lots of background, a rundown of their morning, a couple of disclaimers, and finally, a small but important request hidden near the end.
If early career professionals communicate without a clear goal, they risk having their ideas overlooked, causing project delays, and frustrating colleagues.
We should remember that over-explaining is rarely a sign of laziness or incompetence. More often, it comes from anxiety. Many new hires think that giving lots of information shows they worked hard. We need to help them see that clarity is always more important than volume.
Remove the “over-explanation” shield.
When a new hire hides their main point in too many extra words, it’s often because making a direct request feels risky. They use background details to avoid seeming uninformed or pushy.
We notice the effects of this habit right away:
Busy leaders skim a wall of text, miss the actual ask, and push off responding.
Critical details get lost in the noise, leading to missed deadlines or wasted effort.
Colleagues begin to tune them out in meetings, viewing them as verbose rather than strategic.
Remind your team that being concise shows respect for others’ time. Teach them that putting the main message first is not being blunt; it’s being efficient and professional.
Train and operationalize the “BLUF” method.
One of the most useful tools you can give a junior employee to improve their communication is the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) method.
Show them that whether they’re writing an email, sending a message, or speaking up in a meeting, their first sentence should answer one question: What am I trying to achieve?
Institute the “five-second pause”.
To help them stop rambling in meetings or sending rushed messages, encourage your mentees to pause for five seconds before speaking or sending.
When early career professionals know their purpose before they speak, they share their message with more focus, confidence, and control.
Build executive presence from day one.
When you help early career employees communicate with a clear goal, their reputation in the organization improves. Leaders begin to see them as sharp, concise, and focused on solutions, rather than as passive task-runners who need constant guidance.
By teaching them to start with the bottom line, you not only save time in your inbox but also help them build the credibility and influence they need for long-term career success.
How do you help your junior team members get to the point in emails and meetings?
Conversation Kit for Managers & Mentors
Use the conversation kit below to run more impactful one-on-one and group sessions in less time. The kits give you intentional articles and discussion prompts to guide early-career professionals and accelerate their growth.