The Flashtag Communication Protocol

"The challenge is people will take [an opinion] and over-index on what was an opinion... Flashtags are an escalating set of the 'dying on the hill' spectrum." — Dharmesh Shah

What It Is

A system of explicit tags used in written communication (email, Slack) that clearly defines the expected weight of the feedback and the required response level.

When To Use

• Whenever a leader provides feedback to a subordinate
• In async communication channels (Slack, email)
• When there's a history of offhand comments becoming mandates
• To preserve team autonomy while still sharing opinions

The Four Flashtags

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  #fyi                                                │
│  "I found this interesting."                         │
│  → No response expected. Go on with your life.       │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  #suggestion                                         │
│  "A thought I had."                                  │
│  → You don't have to do it. Consider it. No reply.   │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  #recommendation                                     │
│  "I have researched this. I would do this."          │
│  → If you don't do it, explain why (learning loop).  │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  #plea                                               │
│  "I beg of you. High conviction. Please do this."    │
│  → Use EXTREMELY rarely (count on one hand).         │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

How To Apply

STEP 1: Before Sending Feedback
└── Ask: "How strongly do I feel about this?"
└── Choose the appropriate tag

STEP 2: Add Tag to Message
└── "#suggestion: Have you considered..."
└── "#recommendation: Based on X, I'd do Y..."

STEP 3: Respect the System
└── Don't follow up on #fyi or #suggestion
└── Only expect response for #recommendation+

STEP 4: Track #plea Usage
└── Should be extremely rare (1-2x per year)
└── If overused, loses meaning

Common Mistakes

❌ Overusing #plea (turns into micromanagement)

❌ Following up aggressively on #suggestion (defeats purpose)

❌ Not using any tags (defaults to "founder megaphone")

Real-World Example

Dharmesh uses these daily at HubSpot to give product feedback without disempowering the specific product owners (DRIs).

Source: Dharmesh Shah, Lenny's Podcast