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Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…

Harrison, C. (2007, December). Who’s your audience? Ways to win your audience through
inclusion. Toastmasters International.
Mind Tools. (n.d.). Creating effective presentation visuals: Connecting people with your message.
Mind Tools.
Tardanico, S. (2012, May 29). Want to be a better public speaker? Do what the pros do. Forbes.

13. E-mail rhetoric heating up? Talk directly. E-mail is essential to organizational communication. It’s a
great way to send info, set up meetings, convey documents, and make requests. But it’s a poor way
to convey emotion or discuss really complex matters. There’s no tone of voice, body language, or
facial cues to help the recipient interpret your mood. Taken out of context, “thank you” can sound
grateful—or dismissive and sarcastic. Research shows that we lose half of our communication power
when not face-to-face and an even higher percentage when not voice-to-voice. To avoid
misunderstanding, soften your messages with greetings and appropriate personable comments, as
you would in an informal letter or a phone call. Don’t use e-mail to conduct an argument, convey hurt
feelings, issue brusque orders, or justify your position to others. When an e-mail exchange is
especially contentious, don’t hit send until you’ve had time and space to reflect. Better still, when
things get heated or emotional, reach for the phone instead. If you’re in the same office, go and see
the other person. Apologize for anything that has been misconstrued. Offer to have a full conversation
and repair the damage before it starts.

14. Difficult conversation? Acknowledge emotions. Emotional conversations are the most difficult.
When you need to convey bad news. Deliver a poor performance review. Discuss conflict or a
misunderstanding. If you are faced with a meeting like this, don’t make the mistake of ignoring or
avoiding emotions. Start by asking questions of yourself. What is it about this conversation that
makes it difficult for you? What emotions or worries does it create? What emotional reactions might
the other person (or group) have? Once you have acknowledged this, it will be easier to think about
what information you need to communicate and the best way to do it. Process emotion, but don’t get
stuck there. Move on to what needs to be discussed. Focus on your main message and make sure it
doesn’t get buried by other information. Focus on a good outcome and create an understanding of
next steps.

15. Driving a strategic message? Plan carefully and follow the plan. There may be times when you
need to lead or be part of a strategic communication. When strategy and timing are crucial. When
confidentiality is paramount. Whether you’re the CEO making an announcement, the head of a
function or department, or a manager of a small team, determine which internal and external
audiences you need to reach. When and how messages need to be communicated. Is this a crisis, a
positive development, or the rollout of a new process? An internal message only or external as well?
What media—including social media—will you use? Who will speak? When will they speak? How will
you balance the “need to know” with confidentiality issues? What role will managers and supervisors
play in informing their staff? How will you handle leaks and rumors, both internally and externally?
Whether you are a leader of the strategy or a communicator in the chain, respect the plan and
process. Pull in resources from marketing, communications, HR, and/or legal to advise you.

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