COMMUNICATION How to make others aware of your skills Doc. Annalisa Mandoloni Acqualagna, November

Today and tomorrow we will be talking about…  COMMUNICATION IS Definitions, structure and key elements of any communication process  EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION = STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION Knowing and analysing all variables of the communication to be implemented to evaluate the most effective strategy

Communication is…  A passage: the sender sends to the receiver a message constructed according to a code shared by both parties (Jakobson)  An act that answers the following questions: Who? What ? Through what channel? To whom? With what effect? (Lasswell)

Communication is… a passage in which the sender sends a message to the receiver. The message is constructed according to a code shared by both parties and refers to a reference framework known as the context. Sender and receiver must be in contact through a channel which the message tavels on

Communication is… SENDER RECEIVER CONTEXT MESSAGE Noise Feed- back Code channel

To identify the most effective strategy you should analyse:  The speaker  The listener  The subject/reasons  Means employed  The context  The relationship

The speaker/communicator Lays down his/her interpretation and vision of the world, his/her current state of mind, the emotions raised by the subject and the listener, his/her story, his/her culture and beliefs, his/her intentions, his/her goals in life …

The listener too will interpret based on his/her emotions, culture…  The subject of the communication, its degree of complexity, its interest, its echo as well as its currentness…

“the medium is the message” The code is the employed system of signs. The channel consists in the sensory system through which the trasmission and reception of the message take place.

Communication is highly dependant on the context Social context Cultural context Political context Legislative context Environmental context Disturbance elements Time Place

Feedback -provides the sender with results -ensures the correct reception of the message and provides information on required adjustments

Effective communication requires STRATEGIC PLANNING No more improvisation!

The following should be analysed to understand which strategy is the most effective :  Sender/communicator  Receiver/communicator  Message  Media  Context  Relationship

PLANNING PROCESS:  Analysis of needs and definition of goals  Segmentation of speakers (internal and external)  Implementation  Evaluation of results

Once they have been understood the needs should be translated into goals The goals, e.g. the results to be achieved should be:  Specific and realistic  Quantifiable and measurable  Shared

An organization communicates to:  Enhance its image and visibility  Present its projects  Forge relationships  Build networks  Raise other people’s awareness

To achieve such results communication should be:  Professional (well-desvised, planned and organized)  Clear  Constant  Integrated  Targeted  Internally and externally oriented

Thge following items lie at the basis of communication:  The mission (our identity and goals)  The vision (where we would like to be in 3-5 years time)  The strategy (how we intend to move from mission to vision)  The guiding values (what shared values we intend to apply in the implementation of the strategy)

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

An effective internal communication should :  Inform  Make others aware of goals, the direction to achieve them and the role of people working towards them  Promote listening and dialogue  Encourage feedback and participation  Urge for motivation and sense of belonging  Encourage to action

Being infomed to….. act! INFORMATION UNDERSTANDING ACCEPTANCE WILL GOAL-ORIENTED ACTION

On the basis of which parameters should a medium be selected?  Accessibility  Speed  Attractiveness/expressive power  Feedback  Persistency  Flexibility  Cost

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Mainstreaming  Horizontal mainstreaming it is embodied in the transfer of good practices between players/operators on the same hierachical level  Vertical mainstreaming intends to have an impact on local, regional and national planning and legal framework  As a general rule it encourages the integration of equal opportunities for women and men within the framework of all national and EU policies

External audience  Partner institutions  Other organizations: more in particular those operating in our field and participating in the incoming and outgoing flow of information  Users/beneficiaries  Journalists

How to communicate with Institutions  Information letter or material (if the association was just started or councilor and mayor are newly elected  Invitation to events and conferences (as audience or speakers to disseminate the project

Tools to reach external partners  Press office and related activities  Event  Extension material (brochures, cds, newsletters)  Radio or TV commercials  Site  External relationships

Parameters for the selection of a medium  Accessibility  Speed  Attractiveness/expressive power  Feedback  Persistency  Flexibility  Cost