Understand Anatomy of Effective Requests and Promises

The purpose of communication in business is to make agreements on how we are going to take action to achieve outcomes and results we want. What drives action and creates velocity are requests and promises. This is lifeblood of business communication.

An effective request must contain three elements:

- Saying exactly what you want. - Saying exactly when you want it. - And saying exactly who you want it from

Note that operative word here is exactly. The more precise you are in your requests, greater likelihood that you¡¦ll get what you want or expect.

Certain actions, or lack thereof, create confusion, resentment, communication breakdown, and thus unmet goals. Common ways we sabotage our communications are by:

- Making unclear requests - Not making requests - Not communicating expectations - Promising when unclear about request - Not declining requests - Breaking promises without mending break

If you need to improve performance in your organization, take a close look at effectiveness of your organization¡¦s feedback mechanisms, and skill level people have with these essential communication tools. With appropriate training supported by follow-on coaching, you can improve individual and organizational performance relatively quickly.

(c) Copyright 2003. Manay Arond-Thomas, all rights reserved.

Be careful here that your new strategy is a natural fit with your new goal. Obviously, if you discovered negative perceptions, you wouldn’t select “reinforce” strategy.

Next step is a writing challenge. Prepare a message bearing a real burden – alter offending perception. That means message will have to change what a lot of people have come to believe. However, it can not be done unless your message is very clear about what is wrong with current perception. In addition, it must be truthful if it is to be persuasive, and compelling if it is to be believable. Spend some time on this step in problem-solving sequence and try it out for its effectiveness on folks whose opinions you value.

If you goof message, entire effort may fail.

In most cases, you won’t want to call too much attention to this perception-altering message by using a high-profile news announcement. Rather, include it as part of another announcement, a speech or related presentation.

Now, it’s message delivery time. Here, you select right communications tactics to carry your message to attention of members of your target audience. You’re in luck because there are so many tactics waiting to help you reach those audience members. They range from speeches, brochures, op-eds and radio/newspaper interviews to newsmaker events, newsletters, press releases and many more.

And double-check tactics you select to make certain they actually reach people similar to those you want to reach.

In short order, all concerned, including you, will want to see signs of progress. Only way to nail this down is to once again monitor audience member perceptions with many of same questions you used during your benchmark opinion monitoring exercise.

If you decide effort must move faster, you can always fine-tune message, add new communications tactics to battle and increase their frequencies.

So, message of article NOW becomes, “Use PR,” gain confidence of your key target audiences, persuade them to take actions that lead to your success, and achieve your department, division or subsidiary objectives.

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Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com