How do you communicate the results of your environmental scanning to your stakeholders and team members?

1 Define your purpose and audience

Before you communicate the results of your environmental scanning, you need to clarify your purpose and audience. What are the main messages you want to convey? What are the goals and expectations of your stakeholders and team members? How will they use the information you provide? How much detail and context do they need? Answering these questions will help you tailor your communication to suit your purpose and audience.

2 Choose your communication channels and formats

Depending on your purpose and audience, you may need to use different communication channels and formats to communicate the results of your environmental scanning. For example, you may use a formal report, a presentation, a dashboard, a newsletter, a memo, or a meeting. You may also use multiple channels and formats to reach different audiences or to reinforce your messages. Choose the communication channels and formats that are appropriate, accessible, and engaging for your stakeholders and team members.

3 Organize and summarize your information

To communicate the results of your environmental scanning effectively, you need to organize and summarize your information in a clear and logical way. You may use frameworks, models, or tools to help you structure your information, such as SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, Porter's five forces, or scenario planning. You may also use visual aids, such as graphs, charts, tables, or diagrams, to help you illustrate your information. You should highlight the key findings, implications, and recommendations from your environmental scanning, and avoid unnecessary or irrelevant details.

4 Provide evidence and analysis

To communicate the results of your environmental scanning credibly, you need to provide evidence and analysis to support your findings, implications, and recommendations. You should cite the sources of your information, such as reports, surveys, interviews, or databases, and explain how you collected and analyzed the data. You should also acknowledge the limitations, assumptions, or uncertainties of your environmental scanning, and explain how they may affect your conclusions or actions.

5 Invite feedback and discussion

To communicate the results of your environmental scanning collaboratively, you need to invite feedback and discussion from your stakeholders and team members. You should encourage them to ask questions, share their opinions, express their concerns, or suggest alternatives. You should also listen to their feedback and discussion, and respond respectfully and constructively. You should aim to create a dialogue and a consensus, rather than a monologue and a conflict.

6 Follow up and monitor

To communicate the results of your environmental scanning effectively, you need to follow up and monitor the outcomes and impacts of your communication. You should track the progress and results of the actions or decisions that were influenced by your environmental scanning, and report any changes or updates to your stakeholders and team members. You should also evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of your communication, and seek feedback on how to improve it in the future.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?