I’m going to start off with a little brutal honesty…I thought this month’s blog topic was going to be a cinch. Communication? Done! I mean, it’s a skill I’ve long held as an important value and let’s be honest; I really like to talk, and that’s what communication is all about, right? Nope. As I sat down and considered what angle I would take to break down my insights, I was overwhelmed by the possibilities. Truth is, communication is complicated and one, I have a hunch, many struggle with on a daily basis.

If I had to pick one micro-topic of the vast possibilities of how to discuss communication, I’d have to choose an area around which I have a particular passion—considering your audience. You might choose to look at this concept a little differently than I do, but from my experience, “considering your audience” is really the art of anticipating their reaction to your communication—in whatever form you choose as your medium.

As an executive coach, clients often turn to me for insight or input on a memo or email they’ve crafted for their organization. I’ve found that very well-intentioned leaders have married careful thought and purposeful verbiage that failed to simply consider their audience. When you don’t take the time to reflect on the impact of your words, the length of your writing and the tone of your written “voice” and instead inadvertently get caught up in informing or (what you find) inspiring your readers, you run the risk of creating more questions, confusion and at the very worst—hostility.

This is not to say that you have to tip toe around an issue or veil your communication in any way. But when you do take the time to anticipate your audience’s reaction— their potential questions, assumptions, fears, and needs—you will end up crafting a message that not only delivers your intended message, but goes one step further to pull your audience together toward a common direction or shared experience.

If you’re questioning your own communication approach and feeling uncertain how to qualm your team’s uncertainties or what it really means to anticipate their reaction in your particular situation, give The Bailey Group a call, 763-545-5997.

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