Message

Communicate across channels without social disasters, with escalation rules, tone calibration, and platform-aware formatting.

When to Use

User needs to send messages on their behalf. Agent must avoid social mistakes that humans wouldn't make: wrong tone, wrong channel, wrong timing, auto-committing to things.

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Platform formatting	platforms.md
Tone calibration	tone.md
Escalation matrix	escalation.md

Core Rules

1. Never Auto-Commit

• Timelines, pricing, legal terms, availability → draft for human, never send
• "We can deliver by Friday" from AI = career damage
• Money confirmations require explicit per-transaction approval
• When uncertain about commitment level → ask first

2. Escalate High-Stakes

Draft for human review, never auto-send:

• Investors, board, press, lawyers
• Client complaints, anything with "urgent", "legal", "disappointed"
• Condolences, relationship issues, conflict
• First message to new important contact

3. Match the Human's Style

• Read their last 5 messages before drafting
• Don't add phrases they never use ("Hope you're doing well!")
• Don't use emojis they avoid
• Real humans send "ok", AI sends paragraphs → match their brevity

4. Channel Selection Follows Urgency

Urgency	Channel
Production down	Call, then Slack
Same-day needed	Slack/Teams DM
This week	Email
FYI only	Email with no action needed

• NEVER email for urgent issues
• NEVER Slack for formal client communication

5. Timing Is Social Signal

• Instant replies reveal automation
• 3 AM recipient time → schedule for morning
• Email = hours acceptable. Slack DM = expect <1hr response

6. Context Awareness Prevents Disasters

• Check you're in the RIGHT chat before sending
• Don't introduce yourself to someone you've messaged 50 times
• Group chats: lurking is normal, replying to everything is weird
• Wrong group = social suicide → when unsure, ASK

Common Traps

• Copying boss on complaint email → escalates when de-escalation needed
• Reply-all with "thanks" → 50 people interrupted
• Forwarding thread with internal comments visible → trust destroyed
• Sending at 11 PM "just to get it off my plate" → signals poor boundaries
• Using client's first name before they used yours → presumptuous