645: Clear communication skills every business storyteller must master
Jan 18, 2024
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Steve Woodruff, the King of Clarity, discusses the importance of clear communication skills in business. He explores the concept of communication design and the challenge of clear communication in a noisy environment. He highlights the importance of having a clear point and maintaining clarity in communication.
Clear communication in business requires getting to the point quickly and avoiding excessive, confusing information.
Effective communication involves defining a clear point or objective and getting on the same page with the audience.
Deep dives
The Importance of Clear Communication
Clear communication is crucial in business settings as it helps avoid confusion and ensures that the message is understood. People often struggle to articulate their communication clearly, leading to confusion and lack of understanding. In order to effectively communicate, it is important to get to the point quickly and avoid excessive, confusing information. In the professional world, clear communication is purposeful and has specific goals, requiring individuals to become communication designers. By packaging information in a way that quickly reaches the intended audience's understanding, clear communication can be achieved.
Understanding the Human Brain and Communication Design
The human brain processes an enormous amount of information and is constantly bombarded by stimuli. To capture attention, communication must answer the question of 'what's in it for me?' and be relevant to the audience. Communication designers must understand how the brain functions and tailor their messages to be brain-friendly, ensuring quick processing, accurate understanding, and memorability. Communication design goes beyond visual and graphic aspects, encompassing all elements of communication, such as words, order, stories, and imagery. Every form of communication must be designed effectively to engage the audience.
Tips for Clear Communication and Getting on the Same Page
Effective communication involves having a clear point or objective for the communication. This applies to various contexts, including meetings, emails, and presentations. Defining the point ensures that the communication serves a purpose and avoids wasting time. Additionally, getting the point across requires defining, simplifying, and explaining ideas to ensure understanding. Clear communication is achieved when the intended meaning is accurately received by the audience. Another aspect of clear communication is getting on the same page, which involves aligning goals, reaching agreements, and ensuring a shared understanding. This can be facilitated through written agendas, summaries, and memos, which provide clarity and help avoid misinterpretations.
Steve Woodruff, aka the King of Clarity, and author of "The Point: How to Win with Clarity-Fueled Communications," joins me on Episode 645 of "The Business Storytelling Show" to discuss:
Why clarity is so important
What's the struggle with it for communicators?
Which skills should people focus on learning to be clear?