What is Strategic Communication?
How people make the right decisions based on communication and media messages. Seeing the goals of the organization in communication. Gives the best message. Consider types of media for best presentation and communication. Look exactly who is your audience and prepare your communication (Hobbs, 2017).
Where possible, ask yourself the below questions to help address your audience and provide clarity (Hobbs, 2017):
Who am I?
Who is the target audience?
How will they encounter this message?
What do I want them to know?
What do I want them to feel?
What do I want them to do?
Strategic communication is not just about face to face conversation but how to use the digital world to enhance your organization. Caldwell (2021) provides a description of digital contribution that could enhance your strategic communication within your workplace through performance aids.
Checklists (Caldwell, 2021) are help to frame step or processes and build powerful habits. These work best when you have the opportunity to adjust when needed.
Workplace Readings - This will help to focus your attention to the important topics.
Streamlining your Work Process - Use to create a step by step process. DO you have legal or compliance requirements? Well checklists will ensure you don't forget anything!
Infographics (Caldwell, 2021) are tools used to combine information in text form and visuals or graphics. We all see them everyday, online, posters, or signs. Your infographics should:
Inform
Tell a Story
Give Direction
Illusion a Process
Show Connections & Relationships
You should use a want to incorporate updates, new requirements, or assessments (Caldwell, 2021). Graphic Organizer when you want to pull information A graphic organizer can be any of the following:
Charts
Graphs
Tables
Diagrams
You can incorporate an Annotated Bibliography when you want to show details on a specific subject matter, creating a formal document. As noted by Caldwell (2021), you can use Annotated Bibliographies in the following manner:
Academia - Key takeaways or a course review
Workplace - Presentation on a specific topic
Personal - Writers blog
Have you ever wondered what tools for learning are most used? Hart (2021) reviews the top learning tools for 2021. The top 5 include:
YouTube
Zoom
Google Search
Microsoft Team
PowerPoint
According Conger (1991), leadership language is broken into 2 categories:
Framing is defining the purpose of the organization in a meaningful way. Conger (1991) states, framing is take snapshots of the purpose of the organization, interpreting to the followers. It will ensure emotional impact towards future goals of the organization. Amplifying values identified values and the organization mission. Amplify beliefs and encourage mission importance.
Rhetoric Crafting is when leaders use symbolic language to give emotional power to the message. Using metaphors, analogies, and organizational stories. Metaphors and analogies promote the listener's attention and probes their interest. Using stories illustrates mission, values, and goals of an organization. Allow emotions if something is concerning about a goal or activity.
Bower & Konweski (2017) bring to light skill sets for college students seeking employment. Embrace a student learning curiosity - if students are curious, they are willing to learn, apply and teach new concepts. Be open to change as those who are not become complacent.
Learning Technological curiosity. Experimenting with new technologies.
Doing. Review content, create your own and actually display it.
Teaching. Teaching other how to use new tools, develops their competence.