Communication is such an integral part of life and how we communicate can make or break a situation or a relationship. Think of a situation where you need to communicate. Perhaps it’s a presentation to a client, or a training session for a team. It could be a meeting with peers where you are discussing different options for a project, or a one-on-one with your manager.
When we think of preparing for these situations, we start thinking about the WHAT: What do we want to say? What do we need to include? What do we start with?
But before the WHAT, consider WHY.
Why is there a need to communicate? Are you looking to inform, provide guidance or maybe even convince? Or is the intention to create space for a discussion? Perhaps there’s a decision that needs to be made?
Understanding the WHY of the situation, you can approach this fully knowing what your intention is. You can be clear about what you are asking of your audience.
Now consider WHO, your audience. With the exception of a one-on-one, there may be a difference between who is in attendance and who your true audience is. The longer the list of attendees, the more likely it is that your true audience is just a subset of that list.
Ask yourself: who really needs to hear this message? Who do I need to provide information to? Who needs guidance or convincing? Who needs to be at the table for a fruitful conversation? Who needs to make that decision?
Now that you know your intention and your audience, you can think about WHAT. To fulfill your intention and properly speak to your audience, what information do you need to include? What does your audience already know? What do they need to know? At what level of detail do they need to know – high-level, big-picture? Or do they need the nitty-gritty, nuts-and-bolts? And how will you organize the information so that you deliver the message in an effective yet efficient manner?
Lastly, HOW. How will you deliver this information? Is this best done as a meeting or an email? Should this be a formal, structured presentation, or an open, free-flowing discussion? If your intention is to inform and it’s a fairly large audience, a formal, structured presentation might work well. If what you need is a consensus, then a less structured and more engaged discussion might serve you better.
Communicating well isn’t just about knowledge and style. Put a little thought into preparing for these opportunities and you will have a better outcome
- Be clear on your intention – WHY
- Know your audience – WHO
- Collect and organize your content – WHAT
- Plan your approach – HOW
