There is no point in communicating with someone if you don’t want to cause an effect. The effect you are seeking can vary dramatically; you may want the person to do something, stop doing something, feel happier or more supportive, or even feel worried or concerned. The starting point in any effective communication is developing a clear picture of what it is you want the communication to achieve.
For example, most project reports are intended to keep people informed and supportive. An elegant, stylish and easy-to-read report generates a positive emotional reaction. Stakeholders feel that the report’s creator is in control. Conversely, a scruffy-looking report suggests that its creator lacks control or concern, and the message fails to achieve your objective.
Get SMART
Whether the medium is formal or casual, if the communication is to be effective, three key elements need to be incorporated.
1. Form an unambiguous statement of precisely what it is you want the receiver to do or change. The information needs to follow the acronym SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-framed
2. Demonstrate the reason why the communication is important. Telling your sponsor you need more money is unlikely to be well received. Drafting an argument that shows precisely why that money is needed to keep the project on schedule is more likely to get a positive reaction.
3. The communication should define what benefit the receiver can expect. The concept of mutuality means that you have a far better chance of getting what you want if there’s something of value in it for the receiver as well. A person’s natural reaction when presented with a demand is to think, What’s in it for me?
> When advising upward to senior managers, link the requested action to the expected project outcomes and organizational value.
Mutuality does not mean changing contract conditions or offering unethical inducements; rather it is a process of connecting your needs and requirements to an objective or benefit that is of value to the receiver. Within a project team, this may be directly aligned with motivational initiatives such as recognition, autonomy or advancement. When advising upward to senior managers, link the requested action to the expected project outcomes and organizational value.
Getting What You Want
Communication for effect is a subtle art. You need clarity in your objectives. If you don’t know what you want, you are unlikely to get it. You also need to understand the receiver’s value proposition—how they will benefit. You then need to connect the two in a way that is most likely to achieve the outcome you desire. PM
Lynda Bourne, DPM, PMP, is the managing director of Stakeholder Management pty Ltd. and director of training at Mosaic Project Services pty Ltd., both in Australia. Dr. Bourne graduated from RMIT as the first professional doctor of project management.
