Some Observations about the Nature of Communication
Chrys Horn, March 2007
People constantly communicate even when they are not trying.
Not communicating still provides information to others and may send as strong a message as one that involves actively trying to put a message across.
Actions matter more than words
Communication is not simply about choosing the right words, it is also about the ways in which people behave in relation to others. For example, speaking to persuade can increase any distrust that already exists in an audience, and not listening or perhaps not listening convincingly may be interpreted as a lack of respect for the perspectives of others. In difficult situations non disclosure, if discovered can be interpreted as manipulative and can lead to distrust and resistance.
Effective communication is iterative, not linear.
Communication is as much about how the receiver of a message interprets what is going on, rather than what a sender intends to communicate. Receivers often interpret information differently to what senders intend. Without feedback, it will not be truly clear what has actually gone across. Without understanding the needs and perspectives of others, we are unlikely to communicate well.
Many people know the need for 2-way communication, but few practice it well.
Most people are not trained in listening but some (including many scientists) have had some training in different ways of putting their perspectives across. In addition in many forums respect often comes from being strong in one’s own perspective and having forceful arguments and being persuasive. It is hardly surprising that most people are better at speaking their perspectives rather than listening to the perspectives of others.
Aiming to change the perspectives or opinions of others is risky in situations where conflict or debate are factors.
Different groups have different perspectives and needs with regard to a new technological development. Communication needs to be focused on how to work with those perspectives rather than on changing them. Hopefully, the perspectives of all players in this communication will change during the communication process. However, the chances of changing others’ perspectives when we want to do it can in complex or difficult situations come across as manipulative and increases the risk of going into persuasion mode which, in contentious situations, is seldom constructive.
Power and perceptions of power really matter
Power relationships and perceptions of them have a big impact on communications. It is easy to debate and converse with peers or those who regard themselves as peers, but for people who can be seen as knowing less and who do not regard themselves as peers, communication in situations of risk or conflict needs care and reflection.
Communication which is persuasive or authoritative in tone can accentuate these relationships and is likely to polarise those who see themselves as unempowered. Because power relationships and different perceptions of them are complex in most multistakeholder situations, communication is better based on a model of joint inquiry, which involves stakeholder groups learning about each other’s perspectives and looking for jointly agreed solutions to agreed problems (Laberge 2004). This collaborative model of communication generally leads to good outcomes for a range of stakeholders because it requires the building of relationships in which power is renegotiated so that all in the relationship trust that it will not be abused. Such relationships involve a wide range of communication media and long lead times may be necessary depending on the past experiences and capacity of the groups involved.
The role of positions
When people already have strong and well-publicised positions, it is even more important to build relationships and trust if they are to move away from speaking as "positions" rather than as individuals where mutual learning and information exchange can occur (Lyver et al 2005; Winstanley et al. 2006).
Few, if any, people communicate instinctively well in every situation
Reflecting on communication experiences and getting feedback from those we have communicated with can help us all learn how to put good communication ideas into good practice.
This need for reviewing and reflecting on both actions are results is vital to becoming a better communicator. Such processes require the collection and ongoing use of feedback.Review is necessary because human communication is complex and nuanced. When communicating, it is useful to be aware of one's "theories in use" (eg by thinking about why you do the things you do) and to see any activity of a test of that theory, as an opportunity to get feedback, and as a means of building it further. It is, of course, useful to learn about other people’s experiences of trying to do similar things to help build those theories faster. This part of the strategy documents the theories in use which may need to be modified when it is reviewed.
Providing easy access to relevant information is important
Providing access to information is an important part of any communication process. However it will not stand alone as a method for building public acceptance. Part of providing information is finding out what information people want and what information they find relevant. It is easy to make assumptions.
People need a good reason to engage with information
People will really engage with this information only when they see that doing so will be of some benefit to them.
In work on 1080 for example, asking Maori groups to assist in decision making about how to control possums in their area meant they they engaged with a range of information about cost, effectiveness and risks. Many of them discovered for themselves that 1080 was the most efficient and safe of the methods available to them. However, they also chose to negotiate about how the poison was used in some areas and helped to meet any cost differentials.In comparison, people often come out against 1080 when they are simply asked to accept that control operations will happen. When this occurs the only information they look for is information to prove their points about how bad 1080 is (Horn and Kilvington 2002).
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Page last updated: Thursday 29th March 2007