What are the guiding principles for successful communication?

Strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams shares his top guiding principles for successful communication.

Understanding your audience

Knowing your audience and what they need to hear is crucial before initiating any form of communication.

This involves understanding their expectations, backgrounds, and the information they require.

The importance of a clear communication goal

Having a clear goal for your communication is essential.

The goal should encompass what you want your audience to know, feel, and do.

This helps in making communication more clear, concise, and focused.

The power of paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is a powerful tool in communication.

It helps validate the accuracy of what was heard, buy time, and move the conversation forward.

It also signals active listening and can be used to politely interrupt or redirect a conversation.