Previous lessons have discussed how the key to lean communications is keeping them effective, efficient and transparent. When you think about transparency, it goes beyond just completeness and candor. Really transparent communications are user-friendly and immediately actionable. If you have something to report to your client, try to use the client's preferred format and language. After all, each business has its own style of communications, and if you can absorb and adopt that, then your messaging will be understood and resonate. Over time, you will learn to speak fluent 'client'

Most of all, don't assume that you know what sort of communication your client wants. If you don't know, ask. For example, don't confuse a legal opinion with business advice. If your client wants an opinion on the law, they will likely make that clear in the instruction. In almost all other cases, they want practical help with a specific business problem. In these situations, the client needs you to have such a deep understanding of the business that you can almost place yourself in the GC's shoes.  If you have questions about how the different parts of the company puzzle fit into the issue, don't be afraid to ask.

In learning how to speak "client," you've observed how people within the company talk to each other. Some companies are very formal in their internal messaging while others might be not so much. Learn from your observations, absorb the client's language and preferred terminology, and use them as if they were your own.