Want to make sure your instructions aren’t lost in translation? Five designers share their top strategies for effective communication.

THE SECRET SAUCE
For Gabriela Anastasio, being clear about the difference between asking and telling, or between suggesting and expecting, is “the secret sauce to working with young talent.” It’s a lesson she learned in the corporate world: Before she started her own firm, Anastasio Home, in 2021, the Litchfield County, Connecticut–based designer ran a publicity agency and worked at Rolex USA as the director of communications for its sister brand Tudor Watch, jobs that ranged from startup energy to a more traditional, formal culture. No matter the office climate, Anastasio found it beneficial to reassure her staff that when she is asking a question, she is not questioning their work ethic. “The best young employees are self-conscious, tend to take things personally and take on more responsibility than they should because they are sensitive, hardworking people,” she says. “If I can help squash any anxiety or self-doubt that might impact their workflow, I will, because it benefits my business.” Getting information from team members is a crucial part of running a business, and Anastasio’s questions are often essential for her to confirm certain information before she can move on or cross an item off her to-do list. But for a team member who doesn’t have insight into why she’s asking, it can feel more significant. “I assure them that I am asking with no other implications to relieve them of stressful assumptions like, ‘She’s following up because she expected it to be completed by now,’ when really I’m asking because I’m about to call Steve and would like to give him an update either way,” she explains. “As a boss, you have the power to offer real-time clarity that fuels a more confident and productive team. If it goes unacknowledged that you’re asking and not questioning, it can create tension over time because the person feels like you don’t trust them, when in reality that’s not what it's about.”

Rachael Grochowski often brings elements of her yoga practice into her design work—as seen in this serene, spa-like bathroom, and in her understanding of communication challengesJohn Bessler