You’re describing a real coordination problem: over-polished, abstraction-heavy “AI voice” increases cognitive load and reduces signal. Since you don’t have positional authority—and leadership models the behavior—you need norm-shaping, not enforcement.
Here are practical levers that work without calling anyone out:
1. Introduce a “Clarity Standard” (Not an Anti-AI Rule)
Don’t frame it as anti-AI. Frame it as decision hygiene.
Propose lightweight norms in a team doc or retro:
TL;DR (≤3 lines) required
One clear recommendation
Max 5 bullets
State assumptions explicitly
If AI-assisted, edit to your voice
This shifts evaluation from how it was written to how usable it is.
Typical next step:
Draft a 1-page “Decision Writing Guidelines” and float it as “Can we try this for a sprint?”
2. Seed a Meme That Rewards Brevity
Social proof beats argument.
Examples you can casually share in Slack:
“If it can’t fit in a screenshot, it’s not a Slack message.”
“Clarity > Fluency.”
“Strong opinions, lightly held. Weak opinions, heavily padded.”
Side-by-side:
AI paragraph → Edited human version (cut by 60%)
You’re normalizing editing down, not calling out AI.
Typical next step:
Post a before/after edit of your own message and say: “Cut this from 300 → 90 words. Feels better.”
3. Cite Credible Writing Culture References
Frame it as aligning with high-signal orgs:
High Output Management – Emphasizes crisp managerial communication.
The Pyramid Principle – Lead with the answer.
Amazon – Narrative memos, but tightly structured and decision-oriented.
Stripe – Known for clear internal writing culture.
Shopify – Publicly discussed AI use, but with expectations of accountability and ownership.
You’re not arguing against AI; you’re arguing for ownership and clarity.
Typical next step:
Share one short excerpt on “lead with the answer” and say: “Can we adopt this?”
4. Shift the Evaluation Criteria in Meetings
When someone posts AI-washed text, respond with:
“What’s your recommendation?”
“If you had to bet your reputation, which option?”
“What decision are we making?”
This conditions brevity and personal ownership.
Typical next step:
Start consistently asking “What do you recommend?” in threads.
5. Propose an “AI Transparency Norm” (Soft)
Not mandatory—just a norm:
“If you used AI, cool. But please edit for voice and add your take.”
This reframes AI as a drafting tool, not an authority.
Typical next step:
Add a line in your team doc: “AI is fine for drafting; final output should reflect your judgment.”
6. Run a Micro-Experiment
Offer:
“For one sprint, can we try 5-bullet max updates?”
If productivity improves, the behavior self-reinforces.
Strategic Reality
If the CEO models AI-washing, direct confrontation won’t work. Culture shifts via:
Incentives (brevity rewarded)
Norms (recommendations expected)
Modeling (you demonstrate signal-dense writing)
You don’t fight AI. You make verbosity socially expensive.
If helpful, I can draft:
A 1-page clarity guideline
A Slack post to introduce it
A short internal “writing quality” rubric
A meme template you can reuse
Which lever feels safest in your org right now?