DC Velocity - July 2016

ting these skew our communications, which can twist core messages and disincent listeners. Be honest, but balanced, in the inclusion of concerns, vulnerabilities, or weaknesses in whatever is being communicated. Overemphasis on the negatives will otherwise be heard as the thrust and heart of the message.

I could, and probably should, go on. Effective communications may seem to be a requirement that can be a set of mechanical processes. But, in fact, those around us, up, down, and all around, live for communications. They thrive on being in on what’s going on and where the enterprise intends to go. It is a lifeblood element of loyalty and engagement.

And it is essential to letting people know that they, and their efforts, are appreciated. Everyone needs to know that they are not being taken for granted, that they are not cogs in the machinery.

Good, authentic, heartfelt, and well-crafted communications are an essential part of the business toolkit, what we use to inspire people to motivate themselves to be the best they can be. Now that’s talking pretty.

different from what we intended. Compounding this are “microinequities,” biases based on style and personality, and “microaggressions,” even the innocent variety, delivering insult and injury when care, concern, and comprehension were intended. Get help to understand these conditions and the consequences of related miscommunication.

; Especially when we are en fuego regarding the latest vision and prospect, we tend to be overhopeful that others already have the same perspective and passion. They don’t, but we push them onward as if they did. It’s up to us to set the stage, explain the context, and verify that the core concepts are understood before we fire up the “A” team. Assume nothing about their knowledge of the situation and predisposition to positive action.

; A corollary condition is our focus on the end state and its outcomes. We get so excited that we leapfrog essential details to get to the climax. This leaves the listeners confused, a bit dazed, and behind an eight ball they didn’t even know was in play. Like Dorothy and her cohort, it’s perhaps inspiring to contemplate the Emerald City in the distance, but if no one knows about the Yellow Brick Road, they’ll never get there.

; It may shock some, but from interns to supervisors, from managers to CEOs, we are human. We all have worries, cares, distractions, and fears. It is easy to slip into let-

Art van Bodegraven is, among other roles, chief design officer for the DES Leadership Academy; he can be reached at (614) 893-9414 or avan@columbus. rr.com. His website is www.artvanbodegraven.com.