By Arundati Dandapani, MLitt, CAIP, CIPP/C, CIPM
I am sharing some excerpts from my recent presentation at Seneca College entitled "Becoming an Effective Insights Communicator" as a part of my campaign to spread awareness about Generation1.ca's recurring virtual insights career fairs and case competitions. Hope you will join us in the Fall whether as a jobseeker or an organization interested in supporting diverse top talent. Come join our ecosystem of mighty employers, industry partners, academic institutions and sponsors that support and show a deep commitment to my work and initiatives in the past decade. Thank you to Professor Jennifer Tilk for the invitation to address her students.
What is Insightful Communications and Why is it Important?
In today's fast-paced, data-driven world, the ability to communicate insights effectively is a crucial skill for professionals across industries. Whether you're presenting to stakeholders, pitching to clients, or engaging with a broader audience, mastering the art of insights communication can drive action and catalyze change both at the individual level and organizationally. Here are some ways you can elevate your communication skills, find your voice, and make a significant impact in your career and life in this new continent.
Seize the Day in your Journey of Self-Awareness
The first step to becoming an effective insights communicator is strong self-awareness. Understanding your position —your background, experiences, expertise, ambitions, values, and biases—lays the foundation for authentic communication. Recognize your unique perspective and how it shapes the way you interpret and present data, but also how you interact and engage with others. What motivates you to interact with others? Is it the possibility of a job, the possibility of a new partnership, or the possibility of learning something specific or broad to the person or organization you are engaging with? Why should others care about your perspectives and experiences? These are questions you should be reflecting on to truly maximize your exchanges and interactions.
Know Your Audience and Purpose
Equally important is audience awareness. Who are you talking to? Tailoring your message to your audience's needs, expectations, and level of understanding is key to effective communication. Whether you're addressing industry experts, policymakers, or the general public, your approach should be strategic and purpose-driven.
Create Strategic Goals for Communication
Developing strategic goals for your research and business communications ensures that your efforts are aligned with your broader and more specific objectives. This involves clear planning and understanding the purpose behind each communication effort. What do you aim to achieve? What action do you want your audience to take? How are you intending to influence your audience?
Gain Top Skills from Professional Development
Leverage the skills gained from professional courses and programs. Continuous learning and professional development are vital. For instance, the MRA courses and RAP programs equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance your communication prowess. Apply these learnings to build your brand, grow your voice, and find your communities.
Build Your Brand Authentically and with Consistency
Your personal and professional brand is a powerful tool. Mastering your professional pitch and evolving with each context can significantly enhance your presence in the industry. Participate in webinars, conferences, and competitions like the Fall 2024 Virtual Insights Case Competition to refine your skills and gain visibility among leading organizations. Show curiosity, empathy and a strong sense of constant learning from the people and organizations you interact with.
Navigate the Barriers to Effective Communication
Despite your best efforts, you will encounter barriers to effective communication. The roots of most if not all problems can be traced to the lack of better communication. These could include lack of clarity, inappropriate language or tone, inaccuracies, and ineffective delivery tools. Reflect on past experiences where communication breakdowns occurred and identify ways to overcome these obstacles. Gain feedback through workshopping, peer-critiquing or other sources.
Editorialize Insights with Evidence-Based Communications
In the realm of insights communication, storytelling is paramount. What makes stories authentic and still human-led, is the level of subjective and expert judgement needed for the telling of a story. This involves not just presenting data but interpreting it in the way that best makes sense to you and editorializing it—having an opinion on what the data reveal, providing consultative advice based on good data and ethical practices. Recognize potential sources of conflicts of interest, or often a mere competition of interests and priorities within organizations, and manage them within your organizational framework to maintain stakeholder credibility and trust.
Leverage Secondary Data Ethically
When using secondary data, be mindful of legal, reputational, and ethical risks. Transparency, privacy protection, and harm prevention are cornerstones of responsible data usage. Ensure data quality and validity by adhering to best practices and industry guidelines.
Craft Effective Reports with Storyboards
Storyboarding your reports can enhance clarity and impact. Clearly define the problem you are addressing, provide an overview of the market landscape, and analyze your strengths and weaknesses relative to the competition. Understanding your customers and conducting opportunity analysis are critical steps in crafting compelling reports.
Use Plain Language
Effective communication also means using plain language. Structure your content clearly, design it for readability, and express your ideas in an accessible manner. Regular evaluation and feedback are essential to refining your communication skills. You can leverage advice and sources from the Plain Language Association International to get you thinking about how to write and communicate more plainly.
Tap into the Hidden Power of Research Blogs
Research blogs offer an untapped opportunity for knowledge mobilization, thought leadership, and demonstrating expertise. Use data storytelling and plain language to make your blogs engaging and accessible. Leave your readers with a strong perspective or a call to action. Are you interested in building your brand and growing your portfolio of work. Leverage our open call for bloggers and see your very own thoughts, ideas and work published on Generation1.ca.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Becoming an effective insights communicator is an ongoing journey of self-awareness, audience understanding, strategic planning, and continuous improvement. By applying these principles, you can enhance your communication skills and make a meaningful impact in your professional field. Join us at the Fall 2024 Virtual Insights Career Fair and Case Competition to practice and showcase your creative critical thinking analytical abilities with data ethics and innovation.
Arundati Dandapani, Founder and CEO of Generation1.ca, is a leading voice across data and insights disciplines. Her extensive experience and dedication to nurturing a vibrant sector of talented professionals and leaders make her insights invaluable for those looking to improve their career outcomes and opportunities across data - her core communities of immigrant newcomers.
For more relevant resources and updates, follow Generation1.ca on LinkedIn and subscribe to the Culturally Significant newsletters.
Hope to see you at the Fall 2024 Virtual Insights Career Fair and Case Competition!
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