Opinion: Make sure your message gets delivered

Spandau Ballet: More gloss than substance. Photo/File

In 1983 glam rockers Spandau Ballet released a catchy tune which had the line "communication let me down, and I'm left here".

It was a memorable hit for a band that was more gloss than substance and they never did define in the song where "here" actually was. We needn't have worried for Spandau Ballet, though, because wherever "here" was, it turns out fortunes were made in supplying them copious gel and mousse to style their mullets.

In business, you need to communicate clearly at all times and at all levels. There has been many a business failure that has had at its genesis a misunderstanding of an important message.

Coca-Cola's infamous change to the formula of its premier drink was a complete disaster when the "smartest guys in the room" totally misread what their customers were saying in taste surveys and "New Coke" was rejected and eventually withdrawn.

More recently, Countdown/Progressive Enterprises has had an amazing amount of negative press in relation to its business practices here and in Australia. However, in terms of communicating their own position I felt the managing director, in particular, communicated this well under the glare of the studio lights on Campbell Live. As much as the words said in the interview, the facial expressions and body language enabled the message to be delivered clearly, and I came away with a better understanding of the position.

So it is vital that you clearly deliver messages and are aware of how you deliver them. In human communication, in all forms, there are so many variables that can skew a message.

Even if you do get everything "right" you might not communicate effectively because of the inherent biases of the receiver of the message, let alone their listening skills (or lack thereof).

But make no mistake, not communicating when you should actually is communicating - especially when there is an expectation that you should do so. If you have information that would benefit your group or organisation it needs to be brought out in the open so that it can be dealt with appropriately.

In a town like Wanganui, it is also amazing how effective and efficient the local network is. There are so few degrees of separation it doesn't take long for messages to reach you (even those that might not be meant for you), or for you to find out what people are up to. If you are tapped into this and have the right contacts it can be a real advantage and can allow you to get a step on your competitors.

It is also important to have excellent tools and modes of communication - ones that work and that you have a good understanding of. I have a love/hate relationship with emails for example - at times some emails inexplicably don't get through and emails are useless if your server decides to take a holiday.

So, at times, communication has let me down but it needn't leave you out in the cold if you know what good communication is. "I know this much is true".