Ever read a message that just hit you the wrong way?

I definitely have. And that’s because communication—especially written communication—is one of the hardest parts of the job.

I’d find myself typing a hasty reply, trying to get it out of my system. I've learned to pause instead of reacting over time (and with A LOT of meditation and patience).

But one thing never gets easier: interpreting tone.

Especially when:

• I don’t know the person well.

• The message is mainly written.

• Nuances get lost because it’s not my native language.

• Or... I’m feeling stressed, insecure, or burned by similar messages before.

Recently, I found a hack: using ChatGPT as a tone-checker.

It helps me check both others' tone—and mine.

It’s surprisingly helpful! If you’re curious, I’ve shared some of the prompts I use in the image below. Have you tried this before? Or do you have your own tips for handling tricky tone interpretations?