Communication is a Learnt Skill
Catherine Wijnberg
Forbes Africa 50 over 50 | International Best Selling Author | Founder of Fetola | Building partnerships that solve Africa's triple threat of unemployment, inequality and poverty by building businesses that last
"Good leaders say what they want - and know how to be heard!"
Over the years I have found communication to be a challenge across many areas of life. Too often we forget that communication isn’t what you say, it’s what is heard. We become frustrated when we are misunderstood, but don't recognise that our communication failed in transmitting its message. We failed to communicate in a way that made it easy to be heard and understood.
For this reason, I?developed the simple yet powerful “Triangle of communication” model.
It is a practical tool to improve the power of our words and cut through the communication clutter.
The method focuses attention on the most important parts of our message allowing us to speak to our audience at a level that matches their individual needs?
The triangle symbolises three layers of communication.?
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Most important is the top of the triangle – the concise message we use to open the discussion, to engage the listener and have them wanting to hear more.?This is our gateway to the conversation and this message should be short, simple and easy to understand. Place your most important information here, not hidden on the back pages of a document, or in the dying sentences of a long email (that no-one reads)
View the top of the triangle as the most important spot. It should contain a brief, interesting (and hopefully inspiring) “information for dummies” section on the subject. Busy people seldom read (or listen) beyond the first sentence or two, so this opener acts as a vital ‘hook’ to draw your audience closer. This is where you make the first impression – good or bad!
The next layer is where you can add some richer information, perhaps explaining the key points to describe your message in a little more detail.?
And finally, leave the heavy detail to the end - for those who are really interested. Sometimes this detail can be in the form of an attachment.?
I use the triangle of communication to help me on a daily basis and encourage my team?to use this method as well. I hope that you find it useful and that?it will transform your communications.
Wishing you a week of being heard!