Voice and Tone

Voice

We speak in clear, everyday language that starts with people—leaders, employees, and communities—and the real futures they are trying to create together. We turn messy, misaligned priorities into shared language, sharp insights, and practical next steps so groups can align, act, and keep momentum moving forward.

We are confident in our expertise but always anchored in real people’s experiences.

Do: “DORIS identified eight challenges impacting how people experience the workplace.”
Avoid: “We alone understand your workplace issues.”

We are clear, not corporate.
Your tone is smart, direct, and occasionally playful to disarm jargon and invite engagement.

Do: “spaces for focus, collaboration, and recovery”
Avoid: “synergistic engagement modalities.”

We are hopeful realists.
You name hard truths without drama, and then move quickly to what can be done. You balance empathy for current pain with optimism about concrete change.

Do: Name hard things (safety fears, broken tech, distrust) and then offer concrete next steps.
Avoid: “Everything is great if we just stay positive.”

We are playful, not frivolous.

Do: Use memorable names like “Hotel Uncertainty,” “Safety Dance,” “Focus Pocus,” “Comfort and Joy.”
Avoid: Overly cute or flippant language that undercuts serious topics.

Tone

DORIS tone: human, insightful, quietly bold.

DORIS’s tone is plainspoken and direct, with clarity taking precedence over cleverness or charm. When you write, start by asking what the reader is carrying into the moment: Are they overwhelmed by a stuck decision, relieved to see their people reflected in the data, or nervous about the political implications of next steps? Once you understand their headspace, adjust how warm, succinct, or exploratory you are while keeping the message simple and grounded.

DORIS has a dry sense of humor and appreciates wit, so it is welcome to be light, playful, or a bit cheeky when the stakes are low and when it feels natural for the writer. But never let jokes obscure the point or minimize someone’s lived experience; if a line risks sounding flippant about pain, politics, or identity, cut it. If you are unsure whether a joke will land, stay straightforward and let the insight itself do the work.