Want to Be a Better Communicator? Think ETL

Simrandeep Kaur
Sep 14
3 min read

Updated: Sep 14

The best communicators aren't the ones talking the most. They're the ones who listen with intent, make sense of what they've heard, and give it back in a way that's clearer and easier to act on.

That got me thinking about something I've been working with recently in a completely different context: ETL, the backbone of how data moves. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it's also a blueprint for great communication.

🧩 ETL in Plain English

ETL stands for Extract, Transform, Load. It's how data gets gathered, cleaned, and turned into a form people can actually use.

Extract - Pull raw data from its source.
Transform - Clean, filter, and reshape that data so it’s accurate, consistent, and meaningful.
Load - Deliver the polished data into a place where it can be used to support decisions.

Think of it like cooking: you extract ingredients from the fridge, transform them by prepping and cooking, and then load the finished dish onto a plate. Same inputs, better form, ready to serve.

(In modern systems you may also hear about "ELT"- same steps, just in a different order when using cloud data tools. The idea remains the same.)

🌐 Why ETL Matters in SaaS

If you've worked with SaaS tools, you know the challenge: information is scattered. One platform tracks customers, another manages tickets, another logs finances. Each is useful, but none tells the whole story on its own.

This is where ETL shines. It doesn't just move data, it makes it usable across contexts. Sometimes that means combining information in one view. Other times it means reshaping data so each team gets what it needs in the format they can work with.

Without ETL, teams argue over mismatched numbers. With ETL, everyone works from consistent information - whether that's in a single dashboard or in the tools they use every day. That's the difference between decisions made in the dark and decisions made with clarity.

🤝 The Human Side of ETL

Here's the twist: the more I worked with ETL, the more I realized the same process applies to people.

Think about the best communicator in the room:

They extract - by listening deeply and pulling in perspectives, concerns, and ideas.
They transform - by sorting patterns, cutting noise, and finding the essence.
They load - by reflecting it back in clear, actionable language.

That's human ETL. It's the reason some meetings spin in circles while others end with clarity. Someone did the ETL work.

🧰 ETL in Real Life

Two real-world moments where this mindset makes a difference:

Project kickoff: Stakeholders describes goals in ten different ways. A good facilitator extracts all the input, transforms it into a simple scope (what's in, what's optional, what's out), and loads it back as a one-page brief the team can align on.
Cross-functional debate: Product, CS, and Engineering don't see eye to eye. A communicator extracts everyone's concerns, transforms them into a clear frame like "We all agree on X. We differ on Y because of Z", and loads a path forward with options and next steps.

When someone plays the role of ETL, conversations stop circling and start moving forward.

💡 Why This Matters Beyond Data

This parallel is powerful because it shows that technology concepts aren't just abstract. They often mirror the way people work best.

ETL makes systems useful.
Great communication makes teams useful to each other.
Both turn raw input into clarity and action.

So next time you're in a meeting, try this:

Extract: Listen more than you speak.
Transform: Spot patterns, decide what matters, cut what doesn't.
Load: Share a simple summary and a concrete next step.

✅ Closing Thoughts

At its core, ETL is about connection.

Clear systems run on ETL. Clear teams do too. And when we bring that mindset into how we communicate, we're not just connecting data - we're connecting people.

ETL is the difference between guessing and knowing, in technology and in teams.

✍️ I write with one goal: to make tech simpler and more useful for people. If this post resonated, you might enjoy my last one on APIs and webhooks, where I explain how those quiet connectors power the SaaS tools we rely on every day.