Where Effective Communication Begins
All effective communication begins with knowing your audience and speaking their language – both literally and figuratively. That doesn’t mean changing your core messages, but rather adjusting the way you present them or the context you offer to help explain those messages in a way that resonates most directly with the people to whom you are speaking. Sometimes that is much harder than it sounds because audiences can vary greatly, whether across a team or an entire organization. So where should you begin?
STEP 1: Determine who your audience is.
You might start by making a list of the various groups that form your audience for an upcoming presentation or a memo that you’re writing. Don’t limit this list. Make sure you consider all aspects of your audience, including peers and those to whom you report, if that applies.
Think about the different segments of your audience and specifically:
what they have in common, and
where they differ.
STEP 2: Consider what is on their minds.
Put yourself in their shoes and think about how they view your topic and what they care about. Looking at the world through their eyes will help you develop an effective message and deliver it in ways that will make your audience more likely to listen, engage and act.
STEP 3: Think about what you need them to know.
While it is absolutely critical that you adjust your messages and means of communication to your audience, that doesn’t mean you should lose sight of what you need them to know. Remember your core messages and make sure you are clearly and effectively incorporating them into your communication, while simultaneously packaging them in a way that will best meet your audience where they are.
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