Proactive Communication

Proactive communication can make a difference in your business relationships.

Proactive communication refers to a communicative process which anticipates and attempts to meet the needs and objections of a given audience. It is a strategy primarily used in a business setting, though the basic tenets of the process can be applied to interpersonal relationships as well.

Approach

The first component of proactive communication refers to the approach, or the mechanism utilized for the delivery of your intended message. There are a variety of approaches you can use when crafting a message. Determining an approach forces you to analyze the goals of your message. Ask yourself whether you are seeking to inform, persuade, entertain or some combination of these intentions. With these goals in mind, you can select a format most conducive to your goals. For example, an approach for a speech to entertain might be to create a short, humor-punctuated presentation utilizing props an costumes. A speech to inform may require visual aids to clearly convery the content of the information presented.

Audience

Once you have selected an approach, it is important to consider the audience. The audience will determine the type of content used in the presentation of your message. For example, a presentation about bullying for second-graders will likely have vastly different content than a presentation to a group of sociological scholars. Consider age, income, interest, cultural background, education and sex when analyzing your audience.

Outline

Preparation is crucial in proactive communication. Outline the presentation before you write or practice the delivery of the message. This accomplishes a couple of things. It helps you to make sure that all of the information you need to present is included in the final product. It also allows you to organize the information in a way that is easy to understand and process. Finally, it makes the presentation easier for you to deliver, as it will follow a more logical train of thought than an impromptu or unprepared presentation. Outlining may require several drafts, but it is worth the work in the end.

Rehearsal

Effective proactive communication requires rehearsal. To build your credibility in message delivery, you must present the intended message in a professional, polished manner. Effective delivery allows the recipients of your message to process the information without the interference of "noise" or distractions, such as verbal fillers, stumbles or nonverbal ticks. Practice the delivery of your message in front of a mirror, or record it for playback. This allows you to rework the way you are presenting your message until it is most effective.

Effectiveness of Proactive Communication

Proactive communication is one of the more effective communicative strategies available. It helps ensure that your message is easily understood, which is critical to receiving constructive feedback and engaging in meaningful dialogue. It also saves time in the long run by anticipating possible objections to the message presented and addressing them, allowing for the conversation to proceed past initial objections and into a greater exploration of a given topic. It also establishes more credibility for the speaker. In a world where proactive communication is utilized, the messages presented appear to be more thought out and supported, which helps to gain respect for the individual delivering the message.

References

• Minority Career Net: The Need for Proactive Communication
• Pennsylvania State University: Proactive Communications in Agent Teamwork
• AAAI.org: Multiparty Proactive Communication
• Symposium on Applied Computing: A Decision-Theoretic Approach for Designing Proactive Communication