How do you communicate with other planners and innovators?

As part of your preparation, take into consideration the cultural background and diversity of your audience. This will help people understand and relate to your presentation.

Being audience focused is the first step, that will define the channels, formats, and level of detail you need to get into. It is equally important to lay out the vision of what the team is trying to achieve and how we will measure success. That helps you build alignment and ensure everyone is moving towards a common goal. Also, defining milestones and recurring reviews against those will help ensure the team is on track to meet the goals or spotlight any course correction needed.

a little bit late as I've been away. An under-appreciated aspect of communication is the factor of lead-time, *especially* when working in collaborative or parallel project executions. Communicating early and with regular feedback related to the movement of dates and planning changes is a critical success factor. This is especially so if subject specialists, contractors, or involved parties must coordinate and bring resources to bear. The communication plan must include discussions with involved parties to establish key resource availability across timelines, the lead times to make them available, the no go periods in business as usual working calendars, and the proposed plans for stand in resources where line personnel must be seconded.

To be able to communicate effectively, you must know your interlocutor if it is from the engineering side, you can give technical details, if it is commercial they will expect numbers and if it is quality they will expect information about the features and performance of your product. It is vital to be able to speak the same language and terms that your customer expects.

It's important to remember that in communication people on hear what they understand and they only care about what matters to them. If you need to bring people closer to where you are, invite them on a journey and check in with them regularly.

When doing this, do a research on what kind of platform is more suitable for your audience based on their preferences, digital cultural background, and language localization.

When choosing a communication channel, consider your audience's preferences, the nature of your message, the level of formality required, and the context in which the communication will take place. Combining different channels strategically can also enhance your overall communication plan, ensuring that your message reaches and resonates with your intended audience effectively.

Try to memorize your content and use visuals more to present. Visual Memory helps audience to categorize your content. I usually use pictures and movies in my presentation and memorize my text.

The right tool or platform can enhance understanding and encourage feedback. While formal channels like reports and presentations provide detailed and organized information, informal channels foster quick exchanges and build rapport. Leveraging digital tools can greatly amplify your ability to communicate, especially in today's fast-paced, technology-driven environment. It's essential, however, to be mindful of the strengths and limitations of each channel and tool. For instance, while Trello is excellent for tracking progress, it might not be the best for in-depth discussion. Adapting your communication style and channel based on the situation ensures that messages are truly understood.

Using imagery improves your communication by driving home your point. If you’re talking about security, use a lock and key. If you’re illustrating relationships, use a dotted line or arrow between images. Get the picture?

The goal of using visual aids is to enhance understanding, facilitate communication, and engage your audience. When used effectively, visual aids can be a valuable tool for conveying complex ideas and fostering collaboration among planners and innovators.

Don`t forget to use Dynamic Dashboards as far as possible in your presentation. Dashboards are brilliant to guide the audience to the point.

Animating static graphics or images into GIFs is a great way to display your content without making it too heavy, and also it will engage better with your audience.

In the realm of planning and innovation, where ideas and strategies can get intricate, visuals become a cornerstone for effective communication. Whether it's a Gantt chart showing project timelines, a flowchart illustrating a process, or a heatmap showing areas of interest, visuals can bring clarity and focus to discussions. Using platforms like PowerPoint or Canva can help in crafting these visuals while collaborative platforms like Miro and Mural can foster collective ideation, enabling multiple stakeholders to contribute in real-time. Using visual aids not only makes your presentation more engaging but can also drive home your message more effectively.

Communication based on audience is the key to success. The information required by different level of professionals in an enterprise varies based on their seniority. AI tools can definitely help us polish our communication skills but what really adds value is our experience and exposure in talking and presenting to different level of professionals.

Clear and concise communication is a skill that can be developed with practice. It not only benefits your audience but also enhances your own ability to articulate ideas effectively, which is especially valuable when working with other planners and innovators.

The SMART framework, for example, allows you to present goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, bringing a concrete structure to discussions. Similarly, the elevator pitch and one-page plan are essential for distilling down complex ideas into their core essence, making them more digestible for a quick understanding. Meanwhile, using tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, or ProWritingAid ensures that your written communication is free from errors and is easy to comprehend. Beyond just these tools, it's also vital to actively seek feedback during interactions to confirm understanding, thereby minimizing any room for misinterpretation.

A great book on how to engage with your audience is Ted Talks by Chris Anderson. It has a lot of tips on how to start a presentation and keep the audience interested in your topic with a lot of storytelling techniques.

Are you using this technique "Ask questions and listen"? Ok. Don`t forget "Time Management". if you allow audience to contribute and ask question your teaching will be very impressive but may be out plan of time. with this technique you may loose the time of your presenting. Be careful!

Effective communication with planners and innovators requires both speaking and listening. By utilizing probing questions, such as the 5 Whys or the Socratic method, deeper insights can be unearthed. Open-ended queries foster richer dialogues, revealing overlooked perspectives. Active listening ensures genuine absorption of shared information, with techniques like paraphrasing confirming comprehension. A feedback loop maintains a continuous exchange of information, optimizing understanding. This synergy of tools ensures that collaborations are productive, fostering well-rounded solutions.

I've found it really helpful to ask colleagues and clients for feedback to see what works for them and feels valuable for them. Sometimes pre work chit chat is relevant and helpful, sometimes it causes friction and takes away from the work at hand. Having seen both examples in both an agency and in house environment I believe understanding who you are working with and how they perceive your communication to be one of the most reliable sources of feedback for improvement.

Remember that effective communication is an ongoing journey, and there is always room for improvement. By regularly assessing your communication efforts and making intentional adjustments, you can build stronger connections with other planners and innovators and achieve more successful outcomes in your collaborative endeavors.

I believe that good relationships is essential for planners, sharing knowledge with others is major part from planners job I started my carrer as planner from this way and still use communication with other in solving challenges Another good point ,when I started my YouTube channel to share experience I relized that videos explain problems and how solving this problem is the best videos for audunice and earn large number of views

Effective communication with fellow planners and innovators in engineering management entails active listening, clarity, and empathy. Utilize collaborative platforms and regular meetings to share insights, progress, and challenges. Foster an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, encouraging open dialogue and constructive feedback. Embrace transparency and adapt communication styles to suit different personalities and preferences, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

In my opinion, the world is digitalised now and it is easy to connect and communicate with others planners whom sharing same fields, The connection can be offline or in place for eg, conferences , symposiums or workshops arranged to host experts planners, or it can be online through meetings application,

One thing I've found helpful is the use of case studies. Drawing on real life examples to prove the point that is being made and making the reader feel more engaged by providing a 'story' that can be related to is extremely useful. An example always paints a clearer picture in the mind and reinforces the method of communication.

Choose to be a leader. Bringing together cross-functional planners is no small feat. Everyone's schedules are packed. Be the person who sets the cadence for meetings, be proactive in follow-up, lead the effort to set goals and act on action items, and set clear deadlines. Ensure that all collaborator voices are heard and encourage engagement. Set clear agendas for meetings and provide them in advance. Respect the time and schedules of your collaborators. Mitigate if you see one person dominating the group. Your planning will be more effective and efficient if you act as an intentional and considerate leader.