The dynamics of providing advice:

Making sure your advice is heard

Sean Nolon, ADR CounselFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation

2021

GOALS OF PROVIDING ADVICE

Present information in ways that people will:• Understand the substance of your advice• Be open to accepting “bad news”• Be excited to seek your input in the future

WHAT YOU INTEND TO SAY is not always

WHAT YOU SAY which is not always

WHAT IS HEARD

SHANNON-WEAVER-WEINER MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

1. Sender2. Encoder3. Channel4. Noise

5. Decoder6. Receiver7. Feedback

Seven Components

SHANNON-WEAVER-WEINER MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

1. Sender2. Encoder3. Channel4. Noise

5. Decoder6. Receiver7. Feedback

Seven Components

TYPES OF CHANNELS

Rich Channels• Personal• Multiple cues to aid in

decoding• Immediate feedback

Lean Channels• Impersonal• Few cues to aid in

decoding• Delayed feedback

LEAN RICH

Memo Email Chat Telephone Videoconference Face-to-face

Factors in selecting channels

Channel

Rich

Lean

Type of Task

Routine/Clear Non-routine/Ambiguous

OverloadedZone

OversimplifiedZone

Face-to-face

Telephone

Video

Email

Memos

Tasks requiring rich channels*

1) Nuanced2) Discretionary3) Nature of the problem is not clear

and multiple solutions are possible4) Shared decision-making

*In remote workplaces, mixed-channels are probably also advisable.

Tasks appropriate for lean channels

1) Routine2) Clear decision-making authority3) Expertise can arrive at a correct technical

solution

Challenges of communicating via lean channels

1) Diminished focus2) Diminished inter-party process

cooperation3) Diminished trust4) Diminished party commitment and

investment5) Absence of additional signals6) Increased contentiousness through

negative attribution

14

Climbing Down the Ladder

1. Take a step back and ask:What was the observable data? What data did I select?What meaning did I add? What conclusions did I draw?How did my conclusions influence my subsequent observations?

2. Seek disconfirming data

Challenges of communicating via lean channels

1) Diminished focus2) Diminished inter-party process

cooperation3) Diminished trust4) Diminished party commitment

and investment5) Absence of additional signals6) Increased contentiousness

through negative attribution

Productive uses of lean channels

1) Can clarify your message2) May help gather information3) Helps to remove emotional

component4) Useful for logistics5) Good for summaries6) Checklists

Tips for using lean channels

• Avoid using a smartphone for significant communication.

• Look for an opportunity to mix in a richer media such as a conversation – if only just once.

• Seek advice before sending important messages.

Tips for using lean channels

Embrace clarity: 1. Use “bottom-line” summary sentences;2. Ask lots of questions;3. Ask counterpart to comment on parts of

your communication that were not addressed.

Tips for using lean channelsRemind your counterpart that email communications have limitations:

• meaning and intention can sometimes get lost;• tempers can run high, and;• trust can be questioned.

Example:“I’m not sure I understood you correctly; I think this may be an e-mail thing. Could you explain what you meant by this sentence …. .”

“I’m not trying to get into one of those email brawls, I’m genuinely curious about why you think … .”

“I know that working over video conference can be frustrating. Still, I feel we’ve done some great work here and that there’s a lot more to come; I hope you feel the same way.”

Examples of how to mix rich & lean channels

• Reach out via email before sending a meeting invitation

• Prepare agendas for meetings and seek input for additions

• Turn your camera on when in team meetings• Follow up face-to-face meetings with written

summaries• Use project management software to

monitor progress on tasks

Yes! No. Yes?

Yes! No. Yes?

Yes? “I am happy to work with you and your team to find another approach that will meet your needs.”

No. “To be consistent with other Corporate policies, we cannot make that argument or agree to that course of action.”

Yes! “We are all committed to advancing our mission and protecting the division.”

Yes? “And, I am happy to work with you and your team to find another approach that will meet your needs.”

Yes? “And, I do have some other ideas.”

Yes? “And, I am sure that we can find another way to get this done.”

Yes? “And, I want to talk face-to-face to make sure I understand what your goals are.”

Goals of providing advicePresent your information in ways that people will:

Understand the substance of your advice Be open to accepting “bad news” Be excited to seek your input in the future

WHAT YOU INTEND TO SAY is not always

WHAT YOU SAY which is not always

WHAT IS HEARD