Tag: writing

Communication matters

FabrizioLeave a comment

A message we got this week about a coronavirus infection at the school where our elder kid goes (roughly translated from Finnish).

Sender: the principal

Subject: Some of the school’s students and staff have been quarantined for exposure to the coronavirus – a separate message has been sent to those quarantined.

Dear guardian,

The Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district has confirmed new coronavirus infections. One of the infections happened in the school areas. Not all students and staff have been exposed. The City of Espoo Infectious Diseases Authority has quarantined the students and staff who have been exposed.

Your kid has not been quarantined. They can go to school and meet other people normally.

According to current information, the symptoms of coronavirus infections remain typically mild in children and adolescent.

For further information, visit …

Best regards.

Espoo Infectious Diseases Unit

Communication matters.

Few thoughts.

Before I get to what truly is relevant for me (my kid is fine), I have to read 72 words (a bit more than 450 characters), including a very lengthy subject line. What matters to the reader should always be the opener.

The whole communication is vague, and the feeling is similar to being on a roller coaster. Some have been infected, one at school, not all have been infected, those infected have been quarantined, your kid is ok, kids generally are. One clear concept is more than enough for a message this short.

There are four institutions named (the principal, Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, The City of Espoo Infectious Diseases Authority, and The City of Espoo Infectious Diseases Unit). The reader rarely cares about a chain of command, and showing some empathy (the name of a person, a phone number) in such a message in this period could be a good idea.

And finally. Perhaps this message was truly necessary, parents need to know. In general, though, a good rule of thumb is to communicate only things that have a tangible impact on the lives of the audience.

Tension

FabrizioLeave a comment

Feedback often creates tension.

I want it this way.

I am not sure what, but something does not work.

Your piece of content misses the bigger picture.

Can you change that part and make it more professional?

I am sorry, I really do not like it.

Tension might eventually take you to a better place, but there are two problems.

First, tension takes time to resolve. Time that could actually be employed improving the outcome, doing something more valuable or even just going for a walk. Tension is difficult to dissipate, it actually tends to escalate. Particularly when the first unclear comment is followed by additional unclear statements that make the whole feedback situation a mess.

Also, tension sticks. When the job is eventually done, tension is still in the air. It does not matter at this point if the outcome is better, something has broken. And that is difficult to recover, even more difficult considering the fact this way of giving feedback is rarely a one-off.

Prepare before giving feedback.

Never let it be the first thing that comes to mind, never let it be an instinctual reaction to you seeing the work of others for the first time.

And if after you have done that, there is still vagueness in what you want to contribute, shut up and ask.

If you would have more time, what would you work on to make it better?

Guide me through your creative process.

What parts of it you do not like?

What would you need to make this the best of your blog posts?

What type of input are you seeking from me?

I believe

FabrizioLeave a comment

I believe is a powerful statement, one that leaves little room for discussion.

It is challenging to move from there, and often the only way forward for an argument based on I believe is to go back and exit it. It quickly becomes a matter of who is going to get tired first and withdraw.

We use I believe more often then we should. And we often leave it hanging between facts and opinions, increasing vagueness when we would actually bring a contribution to a matter we care about.

Some alternative ways that have more power to move the conversation past the current state.

I know ..

The numbers show ..

Our mutual understanding is based on ..

I would prefer ..

And the most powerful of all.

What do you believe?

Uncomfortable

FabrizioLeave a comment

Doubts, uncertainty, rejection, feelings of inadequacy come attached to every idea.

And the answer, of course, is not to stop having ideas, developing them, sharing them, advocating for them. The answer is getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, accepting that having ideas is but the first step in a long process that could, and actually most of the times will get you nowhere.

When you are ready for that, you might even end up somewhere. It is worth trying.

Bold models

FabrizioLeave a comment

The great thing about shipping content that matters to your own audience is that you can let them choose how much they are willing to pay for it. And in average, you will get a fair compensation.

Business models have been turned upside down in a world where everybody is a content creator. There is no reason to stick to what was working years ago or is working now for organisations that are different from your own.

Try something new. Be fair and bold. You will be pleasantly surprised.