What politicians can teach you about communications
Crisis communications expert Peter Wilkinson rates the highest-profile Australian politicians in terms of their comms ability.
The author Peter Wilkinson
We can learn a lot about communication from politicians. How do they address the three essentials in good comms: Transparency, Honesty, Relatability (“I can relate to that!”)?
If a person has those qualities, in business, in the family, and in politics, we can often accept them even if we disagree on many issues.
And then of course there are the 3Cs: Clear, Concise, Consistent.
Simplistic? Yes. Is it a useful guide for leaders wherever? Also yes.
The ideals would be:
* Listen to the people/voters as much as possible (knowing that many won’t agree of a lot)
* Discuss what your party is about, plans, etc. without bragging, and ensuring it is focussing on the voters who need the assistance the most
* Don’t bag the opponents all the time despite what they say
* At stages agree with the opposition or other parties and commend their opinions
* Don’t distort the facts by highlighting big numbers rather than talking about longitudinal facts