Seven principles of good communication
We live during a period of intense change -- that is obvious. Rather than listening to another
lecture on the benefits of this change, however, managers want tips on how to lead dur-
ing transition and how to make the step from being a manager to becoming a team leader.
One of the most important ingredients of leadership is the ability to inspire employees -- to
articulate the organization’s vision of the future. The following article is taken from Executive
Book Reviews, and has been rewritten for the RCMP workplace.
Effective communication is the key to mobilizing your employees behind a new vision. Poor
communication, on the other hand, is the best way to demotivate your employees and stall
any progress. Not taking the time to explain the vision, not explaining the vision in clear, un-
derstandable language, or not “walking the talk” are some common ways that organizations
fail to achieve their goals. The seven principles below will help you to avoid mistakes.
Keep it simple
Unfocused, run-on sentences filled with jargon and buzz words create confusion. Language
is often an imprecise tool. The more often we repeat jargon the less clear the meaning be-
comes. Consider this example:
● Version #1: Our goal is to improve our victim assistance service delivery options
so that they are perceptually better than any other service provider within the
confines of the country. In a similar vein, we have targeted existing service lines
and delivery models for transition to more efficient and effective service delivery
options.
● Version #2: We are going to be the best victim services program of any police
force in Canada. We will do this by having a look at what services we provide
and how we provide them, to see if we can do it better.Which version do you think people will better understand -- and respond to?
Use metaphors and analogy
Metaphors, analogy, examples, or just plain colourful language helps communicate com-
plex ideas simply and effectively. Here’s a colourful vision statement from a large corpora-
tion that was facing fierce competition from a host of new, smaller companies: “We need to
be less like an elephant and more like a customer-friendly Tyrannosaurus rex.”
The language is imaginative, but also accurate. The transformation from elephant to T-rex
described exactly the direction the firm wished to take: still big, but more effective.
Use many different forums to spread the word
Spread the word in big meetings, informal one-on-one or group talks and formal presenta-
tions. Encourage your employees to read national broadcasts, divisional newsletters, Fast