A very apt description about successful communications I had read several years ago still holds strong. It said that communications is a money skill, a relationship skill, a success skill, and a growth skill.
While the mediums of communication are fast changing as is the speed and access, I feel content must always stay true to its origin. Whether you say it with an emoticon or you spell it out, what stays relevant is the message and how it touches another person. Whether you use the art of storytelling or stick to hard facts, real communication is when you make ‘the connect’ with your audience.
I have worked with many companies and individuals on their communication strategy and I often find that we like to make things complex rather than simplify the content and processes. And yet more often, we decide our communication based on what we like, not what we represent as a product or as a company. And often this is what dilutes impactful communication. When the approach is not holistic, when it’s not truthful and when it is based on personal preferences, there is a huge chance that it will go all wrong, or worse, unnoticed.
Whether you are a person, product or a company, you must never forget your origin, your purpose and what you truly want another person to know about you. And this is the core clarity from which all your communication originates.
There are a few do’s that I always ask people to keep in mind with communication: the purpose of your communication, knowing your audience, identifying your sub goals, clarity of communication, channels of communication, understanding your resources, the timing of your communication and the readiness to evaluate and amend as you move forward.
There are also a few basic don’ts: reacting instead of responding, not acknowledging a mistake, not preparing thoroughly, assuming that one size fits all, not keeping an open mind, and assuming everyone understands.
It is also important to remember what you say is important but how you say it is more important.
