Nail Your Message, Skip the Misfires. A Real-World Guide to Better Comms for Event Profs.

By: Cami Reid, Director of Employee Relations

Let’s start with the obvious: this industry runs on caffeine, charisma, and communication. Miss a detail, misunderstand an email, or misread someone’s tone? That can snowball from small hiccup to full-blown crisis faster than you can say “attrition clause.”

So how do you keep communication sharp, clear, and crisis-proof? Start by understanding your own style and how to work with everyone else’s. Welcome to your no-fluff, just-the-facts cheat sheet to workplace communication, event-planner style.

Meet Your Match: The DISC Breakdown

You know the four DiSC styles (Dominant, Influential, Steady, and Conscientious), but let’s put them in our world:

• D: Dominant – Think: client who wants the proposal yesterday and replies to emails with just a thumbs-up emoji. They value efficiency, results, and decisiveness. Keep it brief. Use bullet points. Lead with the outcome.
• I: Influential – That vendor who sends you voice notes, emojis, and invites you to drinks after the site visit. Relationship-driven and fast-talking. Match their energy, and keep your updates a little more personable.
• S: Steady – Your coworker who always asks how your weekend was and remembers your dog’s name. They thrive on consistency and harmony. Be collaborative, give them time to adjust to change, and avoid high-pressure language.
• C: Conscientious – Your venue contact who triple-checks BEOs and color-codes their Google Sheets. Detail-oriented and accuracy-obsessed. They want the why behind the what. Give them data, proof, and a clear plan.

Knowing who you’re dealing with helps you tailor your tone, speed, and message. (Spoiler: You likely work with all four styles every single day.)

Speak Your Style: And Share It, Too

Want fewer crossed wires? Start by owning your style. Instead of expecting everyone to read your mind, try something wild: tell them how you communicate best.

• “I process best with bullet points. Mind if I recap our action items that way?”
• “I do better with face-to-face convos. Can we talk this one out?”
• “I need a beat to think through that. Can I get back to you after lunch?”

It’s not selfish. It’s efficient. And when you share how you work, you make space for others to do the same.

Tools to Decode the Chaos

DiSC is great, but there are other tools worth exploring too—especially if you’re serious about improving your workplace communication.

• StrengthsFinder – Find out what superpowers your team naturally brings to the table.
• Enneagram – Dig into emotional motivators and behavior triggers.
• True Colors, MBTI, Working Genius – Get the lowdown on team dynamics, stress responses, and communication blind spots.

Don’t treat these tools like personality astrology. Use them to build empathy, diffuse tension, and stop thinking everyone else is just “being difficult.”

Talk the Talk Across Your Audiences

Whether you’re messaging a client, calming a vendor, or coaching a new hire, your delivery matters. Here’s how to flex:

• Mirror their vibe. If they write in full sentences, do the same. If it’s emojis and exclamation points? Go wild.
• Check your assumptions. Just because you know the plan inside and out doesn’t mean everyone else does. Set expectations clearly, and don’t be afraid to recap.
• Tone-check your messages. If your email reads like a breakup text, revise it. Or better yet, run it through AI (more on that in a sec).

Common Trip-Ups (and How to Dodge Them)

• Assuming alignment – Recap meetings. Write down decisions. Confirm next steps. Don’t rely on memory—yours or anyone else’s.
• Over-emailing – If the thread hits 12 replies and still no one knows what’s happening? Time to pick up the phone.
• Tone-deaf writing – That sharp, rushed Slack message? It might land harsher than intended. When in doubt, soften.

The AI Assist: Use It, Don’t Abuse It

We’re not saying ChatGPT should write your whole client recap. But AI can absolutely help you:

• Draft a tricky message with empathy.
• Adapt tone across audiences (clients vs. coworkers vs. contractors).
• Rephrase for clarity or professionalism.

Pro tip prompt:

“Help me rewrite this message to sound clear, confident, and kind, without being overly formal. The message is to a colleague who missed a deadline.”

Just remember: AI is only as smart as your prompt. Always review for accuracy, tone, and never include sensitive company or client info.

For more tips on prompting like a pro, check out this handy AI guide.

TL;DR: Know yourself. Know your people. Adjust accordingly.

Communication isn’t just about talking, it’s about making sure what you mean actually lands. And in our line of work, you can’t afford to leave that to chance. Use these tools, flex those styles, and say what you mean clearly, quickly, and with just the right amount of flair—that’s the heart of great workplace communication.

Now go forth and communicate like the well-prepped, event prof powerhouse you are!