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Delivering the Message: Communication Obstacles Deter Readers
May, 2008
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COMMON MISTAKES
* Writing without a plan
* Writing what you want to say,
not what the audience wants to read
* Trying to sound smart
* Writing too much fluff
* Structure that is hard to read
* Making the key message hard to find
* Leaving the good stuff for the end
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By Michel Theriault
Technical skills and knowledge are emphasized for property and facility managers, but it's often the soft skills that separate the top performers from the good performers because they are able to get results by influencing others with their communications.
In contrast, weak communications result in unclear memos and letters, ignored e-mails, overly complex instructions and building notices that just miss the point. Business cases aren't convincing, newsletters aren't interesting, and presentations don't get the message across.
Writers drawing on lessons from high school English classes or business communications courses may have a difficult challenge reaching an audience in this modern technological age. There are some pervasive obstacles to reaching readers:
- Short attention span - the audience's interest is quickly lost if there is nothing to hold it.
- Information overload - everyone is bombarded with information competing for his or her attention so messages should be uncluttered and simple to grasp.
- Very little time - few people have time to read everything that crosses their desk so long, tedious writing or presentations that don't immediately attract their attention will likely be set aside.
Many prospective communicators compound these challenges by starting to write before identifying the purpose, developing the message, assessing the audience and focusing attention on what's important.
Facility or property managers typically have three main purposes for their written communications:
- Get approval or buy-in
- Have instructions followed or requests obeyed
- Build a positive reputation.
These three reasons should be the basis for communications. Instead of worrying about spelling, fussing over grammar, trying to sound smart or following the same formats everyone else is using, focus on what is important. That is, content that hits the mark in a style that makes it easy to understand.
ESTABLISH THE PURPOSE
Messages and goals should guide the content and structure of the communication. Identify what the readers need to know and make it clear to them. A newsletter might be striving to gain tenants' support for changes or to promote the company's proactive policies to the building occupants. A business case is intended to sell a proposal to someone who has the authority to approve it. A policy or building notice explains a new practice or measure in a way that ensures that instructions will be understood and followed.
ASSESS AND TARGET THE READER
Understanding and assessing the audience is critical. Even the best ideas fail if they can't be communicated in a way the audience will understand. This is not an easy task, but by looking closely at what the audience wants or needs to hear, you can tailor your communications for maximum effectiveness.
Consider how the audience receives each element of the communication. This includes the level of detail, type of information, tone, wording and even the message. Keep in mind that communications may span across different audiences with different needs.
Emphasize the things that most affect the audience. For an article in a newsletter, the occupants need to know what it means to them. The reader of a business case will want to know what decision is necessary and what impact it will have. For a new policy, the audience needs to know why it is being implemented, exactly what is expected, and what the processes are.
DEVELOP INTERESTING AND PURPOSEFUL CONTENT
Build content with facts and examples that will be meaningful to the audience and support the purpose for the communications. Where possible, consider possible opposition and acknowledge and address it up front. Don't leave unanswered questions.
Speak directly to the readers. Focus on issues and information that will matter to them, use examples they can relate to and avoid jargon they won't understand. If you expect the audience or reader to take action, clearly outline what is expected from them and make it easy for them to take that action.
PRIORITIZE INFORMATION
It's easy to pack lots of details into a message, especially when the writer knows the topic and is passionate about it. Be sure that the information is important to the audience, not just what is important to the communicator.
In the interest of keeping it simple and succinct, prioritize the information based on its potential influence and impact on the audience. Don't be afraid to delete content that doesn't support the intended purpose.
CREATE A STRUCTURE
Remember the audience's limited time, short attention span and information overload, and that the writer's job is to structure the information to be compelling and easy to read. Start with a compelling title and then hit them with a powerful first sentence or paragraph.
Don't save the best content for the last paragraph, or they may never read it. The idea is to get them to keep reading by convincing them that they should.
Use lots of white space and visual cues such as headings, tables, diagrams and bullet lists to enhance concepts and relationships. Keep things short and tight with only the information needed to influence the audience. Visual cues guide readers to the message and focuses their attention on what you want them to see. When possible, use sidebars, boxes and pullout quotes to highlight information and give the audience a quick hit of important information.
Make written material visually easy to read with short paragraphs, white space and simple language. Use introductions and summaries in longer documents to help the reader know where they are and where they are going. Don't be afraid to repeat important content or messages.
WRITING STYLE
Convoluted sentences detract from the message and make it less likely the audience will read or even understand the message. Cut sentence length and use more paragraphs in complicated written material. Eliminate unnecessary language and use fewer words to convey the message.
Use active language. Avoid passive sentence structure, which typically uses more words and is more difficult to read and understand. Active language conveys a more powerful, action-oriented impression.
PRESENTATIONS
The same techniques can be applied to developing presentation, but presenters must consider delivery style as well as the information on the slides or power point. Show that you are the expert and use nervous energy to your benefit - be passionate and mobile.
Keep the slides short and uncluttered. Use graphics whenever possible, but avoid using cheesy clipart. The graphics should support the message, not detract from it. Use short bullets and single words when possible to make powerful statements. Eliminate dense slides. Slides should be used to prompt and support what you say, instead of being the full text of your presentation.
Above all, don't read your material - understand it.
Michel Theriault is Principal with Strategic Advisor, specializing in facility, asset and property management consulting and training. For more information, contact him at michel@strategicadvisor.ca or visit his web site at www.strategicadvisor.ca.
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