The 3 Ts of Communication: Text, Tone, and Time
After more than a decade of coaching leaders, training teams, and speaking on stages around the world, one truth continues to hold up across every industry and interaction I have with people: “How we communicate is how we operate.”
Communication is more than words - it’s our operating system. It's the foundation of how relationships are built, how trust is formed, and how momentum is either fueled or fractured. And when it comes to truly mastering communication, I always come back to three powerful elements that I call the TTT of communication: Text, Tone, and Time.
Let’s break them down.
1. Text: What Am I Saying?
The actual words we choose matter. Whether in a one-on-one meeting, an email, or the keynote speech, the text is the clearest form of intent. Words can inspire or injure, build bridges or burn them down. One well-placed sentence can shift someone's mindset, while one careless phrase can trigger confusion or conflict.
Ask yourself:
Are my words clear or cluttered?
Am I saying what I mean - or what I think people want to hear?
Would I want this message documented or repeated?
Leaders who are intentional with their language lead teams that are more aligned, more energized, and more engaged.
2. Tone: How Am I Saying It?
If text is the what, then tone is the how. Tone injects emotion, urgency, empathy, or even sarcasm into our words (side note, I am really bad at reading sarcasm). It’s why the simple “We need to talk” can spark anxiety, or “Can I give you some feedback?” can feel like a threat -or a gift - depending on the tone behind it.
Tone communicates more than content ever could. It reflects our mindset, our emotional state, and our level of respect for the other person.
Ask yourself:
Is my tone matching my message?
How would I feel if this were said to me, in this exact way?
Am I using tone to clarify or to control?
When we lead with awareness of our tone, we lead with emotional intelligence - and that’s what separates good communicators from great ones. One tip we use at our company too for those of us who might ask the question, “what about the tone of an email?” We say, “If you can’t figure out the tone, pick up the phone!”
3. Time: When Am I Saying It?
Timing is everything. We could have the right words and the right tone - but if the timing is off, our message won’t land. Whether it’s delivering feedback, addressing a conflict, or offering support, knowing when to speak is as critical as what and how we say it.
Great communicators know how to read the room. They don’t rush into moments unprepared, nor do they delay what needs to be addressed. They understand that time adds meaning - and sometimes, meaning needs a moment.
Ask yourself:
Is now the best time to say this?
Is the person ready to receive what I’m saying?
Would waiting—or speaking sooner—make a difference?
Communication without good timing is like a great song played out of rhythm - it loses its impact.
Communication: The Operating System of Leadership
When we practice aligning our Text, Tone, and Time, we don't simply become better communicators - we become better leaders, teammates, partners, and people.
Because again, how we communicate is how we operate.
It shapes how people perceive us, trust us, and respond to us. Whether we are leading our company, the classroom, or conversations, mastering the TTT of Communication is the difference between being heard and being understood—between leading through noise and leading with clarity.
So the next time we go to deliver our message, remember:
Choose the right words (TEXT)
Match them with the right tone (TONE).
Say them at the right time (TIME).
That’s how we lead. That’s how we grow. That’s how we operate.