[MUSIC] In this session, we're gonna talk about aspects of communication that are essential for success. We're going to focus on individual communication because this is so much apart of the leadership task, whatever your level within the organization. Good communication begins with clarity about what you want to say. This sounds simple, but it's practiced far less often than we might like. And people who get this right, get the attention of others. Clarity in a world of complexity is a much valued resource. When preparing for any communication where you have a desired outcome, let's say that outcome is understanding or a specific action, gathering information, or maybe resolving a question or conflict, the questions you need to ask yourself include, what is it you need to say and as importantly, how will it be heard? We often focus on the first, but we don't really reflect on the second before we start communicating and this can make all the difference. Let's think about how we understand people and what they're thinking. Communication should be about a greater level of understanding, but how does this actually work? Well unless you're a mind reader, it works by talking with people and then really hearing what they have to say in response. To do this we use language, but language can be misleading. Language can actually sometimes get in our way. Even when we're speaking with people who speak the same language that we do. In this diagram you can see four ways in which communication evolves in a short conversation. In the upper left-hand corner you have the ideal situation and this is the one we often assume is in play whenever we have a conversation. Both parties are using the same language or terminology with the same concept in mind of what they're talking about. This is a conversation which has consensus on all levels. A conversation where both parties will leave with the same degree of understanding. In the box in the top right, we have what's called correspondence. The idea that both parties have is the same or corresponding, but the language they're using is different. This can happen in board meetings non-profit cultural organizations where board members may be accustomed to expressing themselves in business language and nonprofit leaders are using other terms to describe the same thing. This calls for very careful listening, and for the establishment of a common lexicon for future conversations. In the box that's on the bottom right we have contrasting views and language. This is the type of conversation that can be so frustrating, where you really don't feel that there's a meeting of the minds or any degree of understanding. Being able to diagnose this situation quickly means that you get things back on track. In this situation, you need clarity about what the concept actually is and you need to reach an understanding about what terminology you will use to discuss it. In the bottom left-hand box, we see a situation where there is the highest likelihood of conflict. This is where you're using the same language but you're actually talking about two different views of the world. This is the trickiest one because it can appear to be a good conversation, but in reality the two parties will end the conversation without any agreement of what's actually understood and what has been agreed. When conversations are rushed or forced with too much emphasis on avoiding any conflict or entertaining any questions, this is the situation you can find yourself in. All of these situations require great listening skills and they also require asking questions. Making sure all along the way that you understand what the other person is telling you and what their personal context is for what they're telling you, is the best way to make sure that you have resolution at the end of a conversation. Now, let's get to what you can control and do before the conversation actually takes place. Most of us think we're great communicators or listeners, and so we often don't prepare as much as we might for important conversations. If you work in theater or any of the performing arts, you know rehearsal matters, the same can be true for good communication. And you obviously don't have to drill yourself for every single conversation you're gonna have, but for important conversations, where the outcome influences what you will do and how you will move things forward, it's worth taking some time to prepare. Here's some things to consider when you're preparing your own, let's call it a script. What do I want from the conversation? And what might the other person want? How much time will I have and where will this conversation take place? If you find yourself with five minutes in a car with a board member, it's probably not the best time to get into a detailed discussion of an arcane accounting issue. What about their preparation? What would it be useful for them to know before we speak? Should you send them something to brief them? And the word brief is a good one to bear in mind for preparatory materials. Or perhaps you should direct their attention to reviewing something they may have seen in the past but might have forgotten. What is the arc of the conversation? We'll talk about that a little bit more in a minute. And finally, give yourself and the other person closure. What's gonna happen next? Do you need to check their understanding of what will happen next? And should you follow up in writing? Obviously, this needs to be nuanced, but you do need closure. Now all of these points sound pretty obvious, but in a world where millions of people communicate with a lot of thought in 140 characters, training yourself to prepare for conversations will give you a tremendous advantage. Let's go back to the arc of a good conversation. This is just another way of saying that a really positive conversation has these characteristics. Transparency of purpose in the conversation. A good briefing so everyone starts from more or less the same point. Regular exchange during the conversation to check understanding and make sure you're not in conflict without being aware of it. And a clear understanding about what happens next, closure. And, just to remind you, except in cases of directing people in an emergency, giving people information that they need but don't need to respond to, or talking to a young child with scissors, communication is not one way, no matter how much we might wish it could be. Sometimes I think it helps to remind yourself that poor communication is rarely the fault of the listener. Now let's talk a little bit about questions. In any conversation, provided there are asked in a healthful and constructive way, questions are essential if it's really a conversation. Questions have power and being someone who asks genuine and respectful questions can mean that you're a powerful person in a conversation. In addition to all of these characteristics that you see listed here, questions show the other person that you're listening and that you're trying to understand. You may have heard about active listening, this means that you're asking both open and closed questions. The former to find out more about the other person's views and understanding of what it is you're discussing, perhaps to steer the conversation in a direction that would be helpful. The latter, closed questions, is to clarify specific understanding and get information. One of the hallmarks of seasoned politician, of course, in media interviews is to treat all questions as open questions. It's probably not a good idea to follow this technique in a board meeting. Now let's look at communicating with a variety of stakeholders. It would be so much easier if we could communicate with everyone the same way, the same time, to the same degree. Well, it would be easier for us, but not necessarily for them. In any job, but particularly in the nonprofit sector, we have to communicate with a broad range of stakeholders, and this requires clarity, energy, and commitment to both understanding and to being understood. You'll remember the empathy map from an earlier session. Thinking about how to communicate well with your different stakeholders requires some empathy mapping, either formally or informally. You should always be asking who has the power to help or hinder your progress and how might you be communicating with them? And this means you need to think about what each stakeholder, or stakeholder group, actually cares about. This next tool can be useful when thinking about broader organizational communication. Remember our suggestion that you approach understanding your market in a more anthropological way? Well this is sort of similar. Being systematic about cataloging your stakeholders characteristics can really help you with communicating effectively with them. This sheet, which is included in your materials for the week, can help you map out a communication strategy, which is based on what the listener will be interested in. This is a good way to get your message across. Stakeholders differ and thinking about how much time and investment you want to allocate to communicating with each group is efficient and effective. It's useful to think about communication with regard to how powerful, regarding your desired successful outcomes, and how already interested a stakeholder group might be, and you can use this tool to map that out. You see in the upper right-hand corner, you can see that someone whose interest is already high and whose power is also high, you're wanna manage communication with that group or that person very closely. You can see that you need to make strategic choices about how much time you'll invest in communicating with stakeholders. And you should always be listening for feedback that gives you what we call the Goldilocks Metrics. I don't know enough, I'm getting too much information, or I feel the communication is just right. Finally, everyone communicates in a different way, and you should be comfortable communicating in your style, provided it doesn't get in your way. People like stories, they like narrative, they like to feel that they understand and that they are understood. Finding your own way of communicating is one of the most important steps in your career. It deserves time, reflection, and maybe even some additional training. [MUSIC]
