Letters

Effective communication for all and sundry

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Not having a strategy for communicating during a disaster is a fundamental weakness, someone said.

Recently, the Daily Nation ran an article on the “best and worst” public communicators of 2021, a turbulent year.

From my assessment, effective communicators from list skills had one feature in common: they are stellar leaders who communicate with empathy, urgency and transparency.

Strategic communication is important to leaders across the board.

OECD defines public communication as any communication activity or initiative led by public institutions and for the public good. This may encompass the provision of information, consultation and two-way dialogue with the stakeholders.

Proactive public communication boosts confidence and optimism in the general public. In addition, there is an urgent need to debunk the perception that well-articulated communication is for public relations specialists only, it's most important to professionals and for common mwananchi.

It is a necessary ingredient to build, restore and maintain trust, raise awareness and change behaviour.

Strategic communication is fundamental to evidence-based decision-making. This helps people to make decisions about policies, programmes and State projects.

For instance, as Kenyans go into the August elections, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should have a communication plan that provides clarity and consistency in its approach to internal processes.

This will leave no room for lies and narratives that are misleading and may trigger hostility. Eventually, this will go a long way in ensuring credible, fair and transparent elections.

I urge the rank and file to approach the polls cautiously, judging what they say and write on social media. Just like the Bible warns, the tongue can start a fire.