Tip 33: Why Do You Need More Than One Communication Approach?
Different situational contexts require different communication approaches.
Emergency, operations, and strategic communication require different approaches.
Enhancing communication skills can help engineers improve collaboration, increase their influence within organizations, and advance their careers.
Emergency (Crisis) Communication
The main objective of emergency communication is to keep everyone calm until things can return to normal. People focus on meeting basic human needs (Maslov’s triangle). Focus on what people can see, feel, and touch in the short term. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) do a good job of communication guidance in this area.
Operations Communication
The main objective is to get the daily job done. We make tens or hundreds of these types of decisions every day. Focus on short, clear, concise directions. I learned some good practical lessons while captaining sailboats. Military training related to giving orders is good foundational guidance.
Strategic Communications
Strategic communication occurs over the long term. Uncertainty is high, data is being updated, and usually, some math is being performed in the background. The decision maker believes they are making a big career decision and usually brings in the inner circle.
Communicating over the long term to multiple audiences in the presence of uncertainty and changing data is fundamentally different than operations or emergency communication.
Trusted advisor, persuader, or manipulator–the choice is yours!
Different communication approaches are needed for strategic decisions. The FINESSE fishbone diagram® is one such approach. There are others.
You Need More Than One Communication Approach
You need more than one communication approach because there are different situational contexts. That means you must be intentional in evaluating context and available approaches. When the stakes are high, trial and error will not get the job done.
Remember, communication is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice.
The elements of the FINESSE fishbone diagram® are Frame, Illustrate, Noise reduction, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics. Communicating with FINESSE is a not-for-profit community of technical professionals dedicated to being highly effective communicators and facilitators. Learn more about our publications, webinars, and workshops. Join the community for free.
