How can you manage communication across different networks?

1 Identify your communication goals

Before you decide how to communicate, you need to know why you are communicating. What are your communication goals? Who are your audiences? What are their needs, preferences, and expectations? How do you measure the success of your communication? By answering these questions, you can align your communication objectives with your business objectives and tailor your messages accordingly.

2 Choose the right tools and channels

There are many tools and channels available for communication, such as email, phone, video conferencing, chat, social media, intranet, blogs, newsletters, and more. However, not all of them are suitable for every situation. You need to consider factors such as the urgency, complexity, sensitivity, and frequency of your communication, as well as the size, location, and culture of your audience. For example, email may be appropriate for formal and detailed communication, but not for urgent and interactive communication. Likewise, video conferencing may be ideal for collaborative and creative communication, but not for confidential and personal communication.

3 Establish communication norms and protocols

To ensure clarity and consistency in your communication, you need to establish some norms and protocols for different networks. These may include the tone, style, and format of your messages, the response time and feedback mechanism, the escalation and resolution process, the frequency and agenda of meetings, the roles and responsibilities of communicators, and the security and privacy of information. By setting these norms and protocols, you can avoid confusion, misunderstanding, and conflict in your communication.

4 Adapt your communication style and content

Different networks may require different communication styles and content. You need to adapt your communication to suit the context, purpose, and audience of each network. For example, you may need to use more formal and professional language when communicating with external partners or customers, but more casual and friendly language when communicating with internal teams. Similarly, you may need to provide more background and explanation when communicating with new or unfamiliar networks, but more concise and relevant information when communicating with established or familiar networks.

5 Monitor and evaluate your communication

Finally, you need to monitor and evaluate your communication across different networks to see if you are achieving your communication goals and meeting your audience's needs. You can use various methods to collect feedback and data, such as surveys, analytics, reports, testimonials, and observations. By analyzing and reviewing your communication performance, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your communication, and make adjustments and improvements as needed.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?