Page 20 - Today’s Business Communication; A How-to Guide for the Modern Professional

WhY MUST I READ ThIS BOOk AND FOLLOW YOUR ADvICE 9

Compare all the lists and you will quickly discover that no two lists are
exactly alike. Great business communicators know that if people don’t think
about ice cream the same way, then there is little hope that people will think
about complex business processes or problems similarly. The business com-
munications trick is to first understand how your audience thinks about
your ideas. Then, write or speak about those ideas from their perspective.
When great communicators take the time to understand their
audiences—what motivates them, what they know, what they care
about—they can craft their messages to answer the WIIFY question�
WIIFY stands for “What’s In It For You?” Great communicators know
that when they can answer the WIIFY question for their audience, they
have greatly improved their odds of communication success.
Frederick Ferguson is an information technology
(IT) consultant currently living and working in Can-
ada. Born in the United States and educated in the
United Kingdom, he has worked on six different con-
tinents for some of the biggest names in IT. Because
his work is highly technical, and it can contribute to
companies’ success or failure, he understands that clear, effective business
communication that considers the audience’s perspective impacts compa-
nies’ bottom lines. Frederick explained:

In my space, which is data warehousing and information manage-
ment, the subjects tend to be even more abstract than computer
science in general. I struggle all the time to get my team to com-
municate to clients very complex ideas in a succinct and effective
manner. That way, critical business decisions can be made with a
clear understanding of the implications of those decisions. Effective
communication helps stakeholders understand the trade-offs of
their decisions, while collaboration and outcomes improve.
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The Myth of “Communication Breakdown”

Great communicators understand that although barriers to communica-
tion effectiveness exist, that communication breakdown is as real as Santa
Claus, Snow White, or Bart Simpson. Communication breakdown is a
myth. This myth allows people to deflect blame from themselves, the