The Drift

About The Drift

Reflective essays on the lived experience of modern communication work — the quiet expansions, the shifting expectations, and the realities behind the craft.

Where it fits

The Drift is part of The Modern Communicator’s ecosystem, alongside:

  • Quick Wins — short, practical notes you can apply right away.

  • AI Toolkit — practical tools, worksheets, and decision guides for using AI in communication work.

  • AI Change Management Plan — structured guidance for communicators leading workplace adoption.

Explore the full ecosystem →

A while back I wrote a LinkedIn post about treating your job like a contract — a reminder that roles have boundaries, expectations, and terms, even when they’re never formally stated. The response to that post made something clear: so many of us are carrying invisible work that was never part of the original agreement.

The Drift names that slow expansion — the added responsibilities, the unspoken expectations, the emotional labour that becomes part of the job.

These pieces explore how roles shift, how clarity fades, and how to rebuild alignment. Companion worksheets and resources are available on the Resources page.

The Drift logo used as the header for the Drift essay series.

The Drift — Essay 14

The Story That Didn’t End Where It Should Have

When storytelling leads to unintended consequences.

Read Essay 14
Read Essay 14
Featured
When Surprise Sounds Like Doubt

A reflection on judging people based on whether they're behaving the way we expected them to.

After an Accusation You Didn’t Deserve

There’s a moment after something goes wrong at work that no one prepares you for.

The Story That Didn’t End Where It Should Have

Stories used to live in the moment. Now they live everywhere.

Being Trusted With Someone Else’s Story

Someone messaged me recently to ask how I write these Drift posts. It’s a fair question.

Punished For Making It Look Easy

She pulled into the parking lot like she had every morning for years. But this time, she couldn’t open the door.

When Someone Builds a Story That Doesn’t Include You

A reflection of what it feels like when someone else decides the room belongs to them.

The Tells You Know

A reflection of knowing the tells and living with that sight becomes its own kind of work.

The Ghost in the Room

A reflection of the shadow that stays even when the leader has gone.

When the Role You’re Denied Becomes the Work You’re Asked to Teach

A reflection of what happens when the role you’re denied becomes the work you’re asked to teach.

The Shift You Don’t See Until You’re In It

Sometimes you don’t notice the shift until you’re standing in the middle of it.

When Doubt Arrives Late

A reflection on a single word that tells you more than a full story.

The Fear That Wears Practical Shoes

Someone reached out to me a few weeks ago to talk about fear. Not the loud kind. The kind that wears practical shoes.

When the Environment Becomes the Work

A reflection of the unseen weight that builds when collaboration becomes the operating system.

When Communicators Stop Talking

When communicators go quiet, it’s not disengagement — it’s a signal.

When the Job Changes You: The Quiet Drift No One Talks About

A different kind of drift — one that has nothing to do with tasks.

See all the Drift posts →

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If something here resonates and you’re navigating your own version of role drift or structural silence, I’d be glad to talk.

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