The Powerful “Communicating with FINESSE” Guest Articles of 2022
There are a lot of keen insights in the 2022 guest articles for improving communication skills. Looking back on this bold collection reminds me that much good work is still needed as we move into the future.
Effective Communication is a System
Is there a single theme that we can gain from the 2022 guest articles that makes it easier to communicate information related to big decisions with complexity and uncertainty? Is there one thing we can do to be an effective trusted advisor? The answer to both is "not really."
The guest articles verify that communication is a system consisting of many interrelated parts that produce something that the parts acting alone cannot produce. A challenging aspect concerning a system is that optimizing one part will not produce the desired effect. The part that provides hope is that all of the parts do not have to be perfect to produce the desired effect.
FINESSE Helps Us Communicate Effectively
FINESSE describes the cause-and-effect relationships associated with effective communication. The seven elements of FINESSE are Frame, Illustrate, Noise reduction, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics.
As a mental model, FINESSE reminds us how effective communication in the real world works. As a literary construction, the mnemonic makes it easy to remember the things that matter most. As an association tool, FINESSE helps us organize the thousands of communication tips into seven buckets.
Our Guest Contributors in 2022
There was guarded optimism as we launched Communicating with FINESSE as a community in the first quarter of 2022. Our stretch goal was three guest articles each month on our website. We achieved the base goal of two.
Guest articles ranged from presidents of companies to technically trained professionals on the front lines. The common attribute of the writers was experience and success.
Guest contributors came from various market sectors, geographies, and experiences. All had the freedom to choose any topic of experience that reflected their perspectives on effective communication.
The 2022 Guest Articles
Bob Latino: What Most of Us Are Missing in Our Communication with Senior Management
Jeff Lineberger: The Path to the Mind Travels Easiest Through the Heart
Frank Williams: Don’t Confuse Them with the Facts
Dan Vallero: Translational Engineering: Academics and Careers
Rebecca Bowyer: Do Park Here": How Are You Communicating Effectively with the Color-Blind?
Melissa Ruth: FINESSE is More Than Strategy
Sanya Mathura: Why Self-Discovery is a Frictionless Route to Effective Communication
Rebecca Bowyer: Taylor's Story: How Are You Communicating Effectively with the Hearing Impaired?
Gustavo Vinueza: These Tips Will Improve Your Presentations as a Non-Native English Speaker
Paul Crocker: Effective Communication: No One Will Give You Money Unless They Trust You!
David Baize: Five Tips to Better Explain Complexity and Avoid Long Explanations
Frank Seindenthal: Is Everyone Aligned With Your Company Standards?
John Parker: Your Career Will Rise or Fall on These 3 Tips for Communicating with Senior Executives
Brian Hughes: Communication: Background and Musings Along with Five Tips
Darryl Kellough Powerful Tips on Effective Communications from a Self-Made Contractor