Translated and organized insights from Diaa Radwan’s Twitter thread on professional communication, focusing on how to present achievements and handle workplace interactions effectively.

Results-Focused Communication #

“Performance isn’t about activity. Any sentence about something you did that didn’t score a goal, don’t write it. Did you score a goal or were you just running around the field? If you scored, what was its impact? Did it make a difference? Can you scale what was achieved? What are you planning to do? These are important points to write down. If you didn’t score a goal, that’s fine. Clearly write what you achieved.”

Structuring Achievement Communications #

Radwan recommends several practical techniques:

1. Lead with Headlines #

“Headline first, details later. Start with the big title: I trained 60 people on a specific system, 40 employees used it, 3 managers said they saw improvement in response time, and here are examples they mentioned. Incorrect example: I made a presentation, many people attended, and they were happy. Sentences should start with ‘Achieved, delivered, owned’ instead.”

2. Use the FAB Framework #

“Describe with FAB: Feature, Advantage, Benefit. Start with the benefit: We responded to 99.999% of requests. The advantage: when we distributed traffic across multiple servers. The feature: using the load balancer.”

3. Quantify with Specific Numbers #

“Use numbers, percentages, comparative values—this will take preparation time. For example, you could say growth was 50%. More accurately, say you started with 30, grew to 45, which is a 50% increase from the beginning of the year, with a monthly increase of 5%, the highest rate in the region. Be ready with your data, its source, and methodology.”

4. Make Indisputable Statements #

“If it can’t be disputed, it is right. You won’t always be able to use this, but keep it in mind. For example, if you see something improved under your supervision and you know this area is entirely your responsibility without stealing anyone’s effort…”

Language and Response Techniques #

5. Avoid “But” in Achievement Statements #

“Don’t use the word ‘but’ in achievement sentences. Many juniors use ‘but’ as a connector. You might say ‘It was a great success but it was the team’s effort.’ In English, the situation is different—use ‘and.’ No one will care about what comes after ‘but.’”

6. Avoid Negative Responses Without Solutions #

“Don’t answer questions with ’no’ unless asked a direct question. If you work with people and talk to clients, this point is important. It’s also important in discussions with your managers. ‘Are we on plan?’ ‘No.’ No matter what you say afterward, it doesn’t matter. Better to say ‘Yes, by this percentage’ and ‘Here are the points holding us back and we need help.’”

“Pair ‘No’ with Solutions. If you need to answer ’no’ to ‘Can you deliver the work by the end of the week?’ say ‘No, but I can give you a demo’ or ‘No, but I can provide you with a draft.’ Don’t just say ’no’ and stay silent.”

Handling Difficult Conversations #

7. Responding to Comparisons #

“When feeling compared to others, don’t be emotional but rather factual. If your manager says ‘I think someone is better than you’ or ‘you’re slow,’ you can respond with ’the opportunity window is different—that person has been doing this for 4 years, I’ve been doing it for 2 months.’ You can also say ‘He’s faster in execution but there are more revisions needed on his work, which costs more.’”

8. When Feeling Attacked #

“If feeling attacked, don’t be defensive but ask questions. If your manager says ‘I think your work isn’t the best’ or ’the communication isn’t comfortable,’ don’t say ‘No, I’m not slow’ while stomping your feet. Instead, ask: ‘In what way am I slow? Is it when I talk with you? With the team? With clients? Is it in writing or speaking? Is there a specific situation?’”

Ownership and Visibility #

9. Individual Accountability #

“It is never ‘WE,’ it is always ‘I.’ If you’re writing a summary of what you did, things should be centered around you and what you did. If something is related to the team or someone helped you, it’s good to mention that. If there’s a problem you’re trying to describe, you can’t say ‘we crashed the server’ if it’s your responsibility.”

10. Make Your Work Visible #

“Use your elbow. My manager once told me this—go out and show your work. You can’t be doing something while hiding it, closing it well, and not talking about it. You must show your work and demonstrate your capabilities.”

These principles form a comprehensive guide for effective professional communication, particularly helpful for those looking to advance in their careers through clear, results-focused communication.