Clear and Efficient Communication: How These 2 Frameworks Can Help
Do you struggle to get your message across? Does miscommunication frustrate you? In this post, I’ll share two communication frameworks that'll improve your communication skills, in any scenario.
Do you struggle to get your message across? Does miscommunication frustrate you? Effective communication is a vital skill that can help you build strong relationships, achieve goals, and boost productivity. In this post, I’ll share two communication frameworks that I learned from an episode from one of my favorite podcasts, My First Million, which can improve your communication skills, regardless of the scenario.
Welcome to Framework Friday!
Today will be the first of a series of posts where I share about frameworks that I think are useful in life and work. When you reach to the end of this post, please leave a comment to let me know if the two communication frameworks I share today are helpful and what type of frameworks you would like to learn more about. Thanks!
The Importance of Effective Communication
Effective communication is a crucial component in building strong relationships, achieving goals, and increasing productivity. In both personal and professional settings, the ability to communicate efficiently and effectively is essential. When communication breaks down, misunderstandings arise, and relationships can be strained.
Imagine two colleagues who work on the same team but have different communication styles. One prefers face-to-face communication, while the other prefers email. If they don't find a compromise that works for both parties, their working relationship may suffer. Effective communication is all about finding a common ground that works for everyone involved. When communication is clear and open, relationships are built on mutual understanding and respect.
In a project management setting, clear communication is vital in achieving goals. A project manager needs to communicate the goals and objectives to a team of designers, developers, and marketers. By communicating the steps needed to achieve the project's goal, all team members understand their roles and responsibilities. This helps the team stay on track, identify potential problems, and work together towards a common goal.
Improving productivity is another important reason why effective communication is essential. In startups, daily stand-up meetings, project management tools, and regular check-ins are all effective ways to help project members stay in sync and improve productivity. These communication frameworks ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal.
In the next section, we'll explore two communication frameworks that can help us achieve these goals.
Framework 1: What, Why, and So What
The “what, why, and so what” framework is a simple and generic approach that's applicable in almost any situation. Start with “what” to get right to the point. “Why” provides context, and “so what” tells people what you hope to accomplish through the conversation.
In the recent episode of the My First Million Podcast, one of the hosts, Shaan, used two scenarios to explain this framework.
If you’re updating someone about something: What happened? Why did it happen? What are we going to do about it?
If you’re planning for something: What are we going to do? Why are we doing it? What do you need from it to make it happen?
Let’s try to come up with a new one.
If you are briefing a designer about a request: What do I want designed? Why are we designing this? What do we need to do to get it done?
There are numerous ways to set up the “what, why, and so what” structure, but it's essential to try it for yourself and see how it works for your scenario.
Framework 2: F.A.D.U.
Disclaimer: This is NOT the name of the framework that was used in the podcast. Shaan didn’t have a name for it, so I named it F.A.D.U., because that’s how people name frameworks, right? First letter of each of the steps. lol
The “F.A.D.U” framework is another effective communication tool. Categorize topics for your 1-on-1 meetings into these four buckets:
FYI: I’m doing this. Just want to let you know.
Seeking Approval: I’m doing this, but I want/need your approval.
Making Decision: I’m trying to decide between a, b, and c. Can you help me think it through?
Status Update: Remember what we agreed on/talked about? Here's what happened.
The F.A.D.U framework can improve communication and productivity. Use it for each of the projects you're working on. For instance, if you're working on App Store optimization:
FYI: I am launching 2 in-app events. One for Ramadan and one for Easter.
Seeking Approval: I want to localize the App Store listing for Italy in this release, can I subscribe to an AI tool to help with the translation?
Making Decision: I’ve discussed with the designers about these two styles for the screenshot. Can you help me think through which one we should choose?
Status Update: Purple background was the winning variant for the previous product page optimization.
Conclusion
Effective communication is vital to our personal and professional lives. The ability to convey our thoughts and ideas in a clear and concise manner can help us build strong relationships, achieve our goals, and improve productivity. The two communication frameworks discussed in this post, What, Why, and So What and F.A.D.U, are powerful tools that can help anyone become a better communicator. By practicing these frameworks, we can ensure that we are communicating effectively and efficiently in any scenario. So why not give them a try and see how they work for you?
This is the first of a series of Framework Friday posts. Leave a comment to let me know if the two communication frameworks are helpful and what type of frameworks you would like to learn more about. Thanks!