Introduction
Consistency in communication creates predictability, and predictability creates security. Clients who know when and how often they'll hear from you feel more secure, trust more deeply, and require less hand-holding than clients who experience sporadic, unpredictable communication.
Why This Skill Matters
Inconsistent communication creates anxiety. When clients don't know when they'll hear from you next, they worry, fill the silence with negative assumptions, and often micromanage to compensate. Consistent cadence—even when the news is routine—builds trust, reduces anxiety, and makes you dramatically easier to work with.
Core Principles
- Predictability reduces anxiety - Knowing *when* matters as much as knowing *what*
- Consistent ≠ constant - Regular rhythm, not all-the-time availability
- Bad news delivered on schedule is better than good news delivered sporadically
- Automate the rhythm - Calendar reminders, templates, systems
- Adjust openly - If cadence needs to change, discuss and agree
- Follow the cadence even when there's no news - "No change since last week" is valuable information
Good Examples
Establishing cadence at project start:
"Here's how we'll stay in sync: I'll send a written update every Friday covering progress, next week's plan, and any issues. We'll have a 30-minute call every Tuesday to discuss details and questions. If anything urgent comes up between those touchpoints, I'll reach out immediately. Does that rhythm work for you?"
Why It Works
Explicit, agreed-upon, predictable rhythm established upfront.
Maintaining cadence:
[Every Friday at 4pm, without fail, sends structured update—even when it's routine]
"Weekly update: Everything is on track. Completed X, Y, and Z this week. Next week focusing on A and B. No blockers. See you on our Tuesday call."
Why It Works
Even routine updates maintain the rhythm, prevents client wondering "Why didn't I hear from them?"
Adjusting cadence:
"As we move into the maintenance phase, I'd like to shift from weekly to bi-weekly updates. Would that work for you, or would you prefer to keep the weekly rhythm?"
Why It Works
Explicitly discusses and agrees on changes rather than just going silent.
Bad Examples
Bad
[Updates randomly—3 times one week, zero updates for two weeks, then daily for a few days]
Why It's Bad
Unpredictable, creates anxiety, clients never know when they'll hear from you.
Bad
[Only communicates when client asks or when there's a problem]
Why It's Bad
Makes clients have to chase you, negative association with communication, no rhythm at all.
Tips for Developing This Skill
- Choose your cadence deliberately - Based on project phase and client preference
- Calendar it - Recurring reminders for updates
- Use templates - Make it easy to maintain rhythm
- Communicate even when there's no news - The update itself is valuable
- Honor your own schedule - If you say Friday, it must be Friday
- Adjust openly - Don't just change cadence without discussion
- Include next touchpoint - "I'll update you again next Friday"
- Buffer for your schedule - Pick times you can reliably hit
Common Cadences:
- Active development: Weekly updates + bi-weekly calls
- Intense sprints: Daily brief updates + weekly detailed review
- Maintenance: Bi-weekly or monthly updates
- Crisis: Daily or more frequent
Connection to Other Skills
Enables proactive communication, builds trust, manages expectations, demonstrates following through on commitments, and combines with creating digestible updates and instilling confidence.
Action Items
- Establish communication cadence explicitly with current clients today
- Set recurring calendar reminders for each cadence commitment
- Create templates for regular updates to reduce friction
- Review your communication patterns—are you consistent or sporadic?
- Next project: Establish and document communication rhythm at kickoff
- Honor your cadence for one full month—notice the impact on client anxiety