It's Time to Get Personal

e have a problem! Investors don't trust companies. Employees don't believe management. Customers suspect salespeople, and the doubting public doesn't know whom or what to believe.

With the distrust of corporate America at an all-time high and companies re-evaluating how to stay afloat, never before has the need to communicate clear concise information in such finite time frames been as important as it is today.

The intelligent, effervescent, individual who might be reading this publication can no longer rely simply on smarts when doing media interviews, business presentations, or communicating to employees. They must adapt and change. Those who fail to do so will do just that - fail.

We are living in an age different from any we have experienced before. Because our words and actions can instantly be seen and heard across the world, a person's ability to communicate clearly and concisely in that same timeframe can spell the difference between success and failure.

Whether it's a television or newspaper interview, a radio talk show, speaking to a customer or investor, or delivering a presentation to land a multi-million-dollar project, it is difficult for even the most seasoned presenter to deliver meaningful messages in such short timeframes.

Unisys communications director Roger Bentley says that in today's business environment, generating trust is the highest contribution all facets of communications can make.

"If I don't trust you, I won't believe your advertising, read your press releases, return your calls, or believe anything you have to say," Bentley says. "Yet, if I as a communicator believe my company and management is trustworthy, I can get others to believe that through more effective communication."

The question begging to be answered is obvious. How do you do that?

For starters, put yourself on the back burner. No one wants to hear you talk about you. They want to know how what you're saying affects them. If you don't talk about what they want to hear, you haven't given them any reason to listen.

But, before you speak at all, try establishing dialogue. Find out what your employees or customers care about so you can involve them in your process. That's what homebuilders do. Automobile makers do it, too.

When you buy a home in a development, that home is designed to meet your needs based on what buyers before you said they wanted, such as bigger kitchens, more bathrooms, and larger laundry rooms.

Cars are designed based on what drivers demanded. If you want to build trustworthy bridges during these uncertain times, then step off the throne and get personal, because to the listener, it is personal.

Don't Minimize the Problem
If you have to deliver not so good news, such as benefit cuts, don't let your employees read about it in the paper. Tell them in advance. Let them know why this is happening, how it affects them, and what other options are being offered.

Acknowledge Their Feelings
Too many spokespeople only address the issues when the real issues are people's feelings. Speak frankly about their concerns. When people think you understand, you will establish credibility and sincerity.

Whisper Down the Lane
If you don't correct negative information or misperceptions at the onset, then you are fostering an atmosphere of ill will and bad morale. By disregarding rumors, you're allowing perceptions to become reality, which is often more damaging than the truth.

Say What You Mean
People are not downsized. They're laid off. They don't execute work stoppages. They go on strike. Who are you kidding? A lot of PR people spend way too much time crafting euphemisms and catchy little phrases to attract attention. Clear simple language keeps your message clear and simple.

Get Your Head Out of the Sand
Hoping that no one will learn about it is almost guaranteed to backfire. Before the word is out, develop a plan and hammer out some key messages that address the questions people are likely to ask.

You're Only Human
Last year, my six-year-old son tripped off the stage following a perfect piano recital. He didn't cry, pout, or look around for Mommy. He simply stood up, took a bow, and returned to his seat. He won the audience over because he put us all at ease.

Thanks to Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, Anderson, and others, those on the receiving end of information are more skeptical than ever before. Yet, they want to trust, and they want to believe. All we have to do is let them!

KAREN FRIEDMAN is president of Karen Friedman Enterprises Inc. (www.KarenFriedman.com) and has prepared scores of spokespeople for national television and print interviews. She can be contacted at 610-292-9780 (e-mail: Karen@KarenFriedman.com).

(This article is reprinted from the Fall 2003 edition of Enterprising Women magazine. Copyright 2003, Enterprising Women Inc. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited, except by permission of the publisher.)

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