Life’s Curveballs

Explaining things and getting your point across are some of the most difficult challenges any writer faces. I know and I have this problem all the time. I’ll write something and then get a comment and I can just tell the commenter missed my whole point.

Electronic Communication

Electronic communications is a good example. It’s fast and mostly reliable, but it’s a very poor communication tool because people don’t know how to use it. You must read this Mind Tools article called, Effective Email. Here are the main points they make for effective email …

1. Subject Lines - How often do you receive an email with no subject? Subject lines are just like headings in a newspaper. Many times, months after receiving an email message, you are now trying to find it and without a proper subject line, it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
2. One Point Per Email - Email is one of the cheapest forms of communication and one, two, or more email messages are no more costly than one long one. Having one main point per email makes it easier for the recipient to respond and you may receive a clearer answer.
3. Specify What You Want - Being specific in what kind of response you want, be it a phone response, and action that needs to be taken, or an appointment will make it easier for person to respond. Additionally, make sure to include your name, title, and phone number. You will be more likely to get the response you desire if the person knows what you want and doesn’t have to search for your phone number.
4. Good Correspondent - Being a good correspondent means that you reply to email in a timely manner. If you receive an email, respond to it quickly even if it is just to say that you received it. Your sender will then know that your received it and you are working on an answer. It’s also a good practice to keep your inbox clean by removing old email so you can quickly see what needs a reply. Many times, you don’t have time to answer lengthy emails just then and it may take a couple days for a full response. You may forget or miss an important message if you have a bunch of junk in your inbox.

Getting to the Point

F. John Reh, Your Guide to Management says in his article, Getting Your Point Across, to…

Concentrate less on what you want to say and more on what you want them to hear.

This sounds easy enough but proves to much more difficult.

1. Your Point - We often think long and hard as to what we want to say but this is the wrong way to go about it. We should instead focus on want you want the other person to hear.
2. What you Say - Be concise and to the point. Your main point should be made in the first paragraph and you should choose your words wisely, whether you are writing or speaking.
3. Know Your Audience - While sending the message is important, the message that your receiver hears is even more important. Knowing your audience will help you write the right message. Using big words makes you sound like you know what you are talking about but it is more important for your receiver to understand.

To increase your chances of getting your point across, focus more on the receiver than on the sender. Tailor your message to your audience to improve their comprehension. Don’t worry so much about what you want to say as about what you want them to hear and understand.

Conclusion

Follow the guideline for effective electronic communication to be an effective sender and receiver. Additionally, always underestimate your audience by aiming low. This is not because your audience is stupid but your words are less helpful than you think. You could be overshooting your target audience.