Focus on Communication
The main idea. Keep your ideas clear and simple, and communicate them in ways that work for the person you're communicating with.
This means thinking clearly what you're trying to achieve by any communication you make, and planning the best way to do that.
Activity: Planning a communication
Consider something you want to say to a particular member of staff.
a. What do you want them to know or understand from what you say, that they don't know now? Write it down.
b. What do you want them to do as a result of what you will be saying to them? Write it down.
c. Write down what may get in the way of them understanding what you're saying, and doing what's needed. Think how to deal with that obstacle.
d. Now write down what you will say that will take all of the above questions into account.
e. Tell them in the way you've planned, and see how it works. Learn from the experience so that your communication is always effective.
Why this matters
Poor communication, combined with poor understanding about what other people are looking for, leads to low morale and conflict.
Another useful idea
There are a variety of communication preferences to think about. Some people may prefer to read something. Others may prefer to hear it spoken. Still others may like a diagram or some other visual communication. They may prefer the reasons for an action, or they may just want to be told what they're meant to be doing. When you're aware of these differences, you can adapt your style to the preferences of the person - this makes for effective communication.
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