Tips for top communications

Mick Lynch hit the headlines again a couple of days ago, responding to an announcement of a funding deal for Transport for London. I for one am looking forward to a new round of Mick Lynch interviews in which he calmly and drily, albeit metaphorically, smacks his interviewer around the head.

Because whatever you think of his politics or principles, the man knows how to communicate. More than that. He knows how to communicate relentlessly, consistently, powerfully, authentically and with absolute dedication to his messaging.

He ignores what’s irrelevant. Not – and this is important – in a politician kind of way, desperately wriggling out of giving a straight answer to a difficult question. In fact, it’s the difficult questions he wants to engage with. It’s the stupid ones he dismisses.

Richard Madely asks if he’s a Marxist. “Richard,” he says, quietly, “You do come up with the most remarkable twaddle sometimes.” Piers Morgan, apparently in all seriousness, asks about his Facebook profile picture – the image of a bad guy from Thunderbirds. “Is this the standard journalism has come to?” is the understandable reply.

Anyway, I’m not here to write about Mick Lynch, much as I admire his plain-speaking refusal to be drawn in by the British press. I want to write about effective communication. Mr Lynch, for me, is a walking example of some of the key characteristics that make messaging stand out.

He’s also a classic example of how to deliver plain speaking, straightforward, no-nonsense messages without being arrogant or losing his sense of humour. It’s an approach I believe in, because it’s one I use myself. And I know that it works. I’m proud to say I’ve built lasting, real, meaningful relationships with my clients and with my colleagues. And those relationships have expanded both the business and the team.

So, inspired by Mick and informed by years of working in 'Comms', here are my top six top tips for effective communication.

1.??????Be human

Whether you’re communicating with your customers, your c-suite or your colleagues on the shop floor, it’s important to be human. There’s no need to wrap your words in old-fashioned writing conventions or weird, formal business speak. You’re a person, they’re people. Be authentic. Speak as you’d like to be spoken to. You’ll engage attention – and encourage the response you want – if you remember that.

2.??????Create connection

Great communication comes from understanding your audience. And you’ll understand them better if you talk to them. You already know what you want to say. But is that what they need to hear? Connect with the people you’re trying to reach. That way you get clear, considered and meaningful communications that actively address your audience’s needs, making them more likely to engage with you.

3.??????Encourage conversation

There’s nothing like people power when it comes to spreading a message. So get your audience actively involved in passing on knowledge and information. It doesn’t have to be anything hugely formal – a five minute huddle at the start of the day or a chat channel on an internal messaging system will help your messaging spread naturally and organically throughout your audience.

4.??????Tell the story

Every message you send is a story in its own right. It should have a beginning, a middle and an ending - but no loose ends. You need to think about who you’re speaking to and what you want them to know. You need to consider where and how that information affects their lives. How do you want them to act? What’s the end result? It’s all part of creating the story you want to tell.

5.??????Offer some insight

Essentially, people are more likely to respond in the way you want them to if you show them why it’s necessary. That might be a direct benefit to them, like staying safe at work. Sometimes it’s a wider benefit, like achieving a CSR goal or ESG target. If you simply offer instructions, they’re easy to ignore. “Keep this door closed” offers no context or incentive. “Keep this door closed to stop fire from spreading” offers insight that helps the instruction make sense.

6.??????Commit to people-centric comms

Essentially, all of the above are tools you can use to create and maintain people-centric comms. If you connect with your audiences on a human basis, offer them the opportunity to input, encourage them to share the message and so on, they can be one of your strongest and most impactful communications resources.

None of these tools work as a one-off. They’re all part of a long-term strategy. As your organisation evolves, your communications should evolve. As the wider world changes, you need to consider the impact on your audience. You need to review your comms to keep them relevant. Because as Mick Lynch would no doubt agree, only relevant communication matters. ?