For years, I have heard from corporate communicators that we need to work harder to find our place in the business world. We need to establish communication as a business, economic or management science. And we have done that, which is why I decided to become an Accredited Business Communicator. Our profession has developed tremendously over the past 15 years that span my career.

But I do wonder whether we haven’t worked so hard to master the cold, hard business facts that we have forgotten that we are in the business of working with people. My introduction message to this newsletter is short, but significant. Communicator, remember: communication is a human science. When you go about your day, stop and ask yourself how human nature, behaviour and just common sense influence the business results you want to achieve with your communication activities. When you feel that you are not achieving, spend some time with the people you need to talk to. Think people, and think process, and you will see the results on all levels – business and personal.

Honest: This word (or integrity) features among the values of almost every company I’ve worked with in the last couple of years. However, we are terrified of being honest and having honest conversations that involve true listening. The brave clients who have pushed through the fear never fail to reap the benefits of being honest.

Uninterrupted flow: It is easy to think that a story or a report or an event ends when it’s over, but this is not true. Always take the opportunity to present and discuss the results. Invest in finding out what happened after the event and take the time to report the story and the results. Work hard to create an uninterrupted flow of dialogue – after each sentence is a comma, not a full stop.

Measured: No matter how simple your measurement matrix, start somewhere and notice the changes when you do strategic communication.

Authentic: The real deal never fails. Authenticity is intangible, but very real.

Novel: The creative side of communication is always a challenge. Stretch yourself and your team and work with your audience to come up with new ideas. The combination of common sense and a creative and exciting idea never fails to grab people’s attention.