Good Communication’s Secret Ingredient

What is “good communication”?

Is it saying the right things? Partly, but what if those words don’t land on those who needed to hear them?

Is it saying the right things to the right people? Closer… but again, what if those words don’t land because those right-people weren’t truly listening?

Is it saying the right things to the right people where those things will be heard? That’s more like it. The environment matters. The state of the listener (or reader) matters. We don’t often think about it, but it’s a huge part of what makes good communication, good communication.

Consider the environment you create or contribute to. If you’re stressed or panicked, good communication goes away for everybody. You can break it, or you can make it better for everyone.