Communication: Difference between revisions

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{{a|devil|}}
{{a|devil|}}=== On good and bad communications. ===
=== On good and bad communications. ===


Commercial lawyers have lost sight of their primary purpose: not just being expert in complicated fields of the law, but to be able to plainly and clearly communicate that expertise to people who are not.
Commercial lawyers have lost sight of their primary purpose: not just being expert in complicated fields of the law, but to be able to plainly and clearly communicate that expertise to people who are not.
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Those people are called “[[clients]]”. Clients — even sophisticated ones — [[Q.E.D.]] do not understand as well as they expect you to. If they did, they wouldn’t need your advice.
Those people are called “[[clients]]”. Clients — even sophisticated ones — [[Q.E.D.]] do not understand as well as they expect you to. If they did, they wouldn’t need your advice.


To communicate plainly, of course, you must first have a real command of your field. But this is asymmetrical: to communicate clearly about a complex field you need expertise.  
To communicate plainly, of course, you must first have a real command of your field. But this is asymmetrical: to communicate ''clearly'' about a complex field you need expertise. To communicate ''badly'' about it, you do not.
To communicate badly about it, you do not.


It is easy to tell whether a good communicator is an expert.  It is hard to tell whether a bad communicator is an expert.
It is easy to tell whether good communicators know what they are talking about.  It is hard to tell whether a bad communicator is an expert.


Therefore: blaggers and charlatans tend to be bad communicators. They are wilfully poor users of language.
Blaggers and charlatans tend to be ''bad'' communicators: wilfully poor users of language.


Now, can anyone think of a modern industry that that charges a great deal of money to advise on complicated topics, but is beset with poor communication?
Now, can anyone think of a modern industry that that charges a great deal of money to advise on complicated topics, but is beset with poor communication?


===Types of communication===
===Types of communications===
'''[[Push communication]]''': information sent unasked — pushed — to a recipient. Push communications are used to communicate interesting, important, or time-sensitive announcements that must be communicated immediately and directly. Email blasts, posters and digital billboards, push notifications (digital alerts sent from a mobile app), SMS, and voicemails are all examples of push communications. Also, a [[conference call]], unless you are the convenor (in which case it is a [[pull communication]]).
==='''[[Push communication]]s'''===
 
{{push capsule}}
'''[[Pull communication]]''': information that is accessible to a recipient when the recipient wants it, on the recipient’s terms. A pull tool is (fnarr fnarr) — ahh, self-service — open, convenient, non-time-sensitive, generally interesting information. The [[JC]] is, largely, one giant, existential infernal howl of angst in the shape of a [[pull communication]]. It is designed to be a resource for people in a moment of interest or need.
==='''[[Pull communication]]s'''===
{{pull capsule}}


===Communication of change===
===Communication of change===
Communication of change is a push communication. But, we think, generally an [[change management|ill-advised one]].


{{c|Communication}}
{{c|Communication}}
{{sa}}
{{sa}}
*[[Push and pull communication]]
*[[Client outreach]]
*[[Client outreach]]
*[[Client communications]]
*[[Client communications]]
*[[Change management]]
*[[Change management]]

Latest revision as of 16:47, 7 May 2023


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On good and bad communications.

Commercial lawyers have lost sight of their primary purpose: not just being expert in complicated fields of the law, but to be able to plainly and clearly communicate that expertise to people who are not.

Those people are called “clients”. Clients — even sophisticated ones — Q.E.D. do not understand as well as they expect you to. If they did, they wouldn’t need your advice.

To communicate plainly, of course, you must first have a real command of your field. But this is asymmetrical: to communicate clearly about a complex field you need expertise. To communicate badly about it, you do not.

It is easy to tell whether good communicators know what they are talking about. It is hard to tell whether a bad communicator is an expert.

Blaggers and charlatans tend to be bad communicators: wilfully poor users of language.

Now, can anyone think of a modern industry that that charges a great deal of money to advise on complicated topics, but is beset with poor communication?

Types of communications

Push communications

Push” information is sent unasked — “pushed” — to a recipient. Push communications are used to solicit action, and communicate interesting, important, or time-sensitive information and, frequently, both. To solicit action: mail, email, advertisements, posters and billboards, push notifications (digital alerts sent from a mobile app), SMS, phone calls, conference calls, seminars, conferences, webinars. Information that is broadcast without the listener’s input.

Pull communications

Pull” information is material that the recipient seeks out, when and where the recipient wants it. The recipient dictates, so is best presented as a self-service resource: open, convenient, non-time-sensitive.

Bookshops, libraries, encyclopaedias, hitch-hiker’s guides and internet searches. The JC is, largely, one giant, existential infernal howl of angst in the shape of a pull communication.

Communication of change

See also