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Welcome to Econnect Communication’s August 2006 newsletter –
‘Reporting back’.
This theme responds to a request from one of our readers to
provide tips on reporting back from meetings, though we cover
more than this. As usual, we look forward to any ideas and
suggestions you might have.
Regards,
Econnect Communication
Jenni Metcalfe, Michelle Riedlinger, Lynne Goodwin, Mary
O’Callaghan, Sarah Bartlett, Melanie McKenzie and Tara Thorne
In this issue: Reporting back
Taking the tedium out of
minutes
Reporting back to partners
The power of
free
Reporting
back to journalists
Surf club
Quotation of the month
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Taking the tedium out of minutes
By Mary O'Callaghan
I’ve recently seen minutes of a meeting that went to 23
pages. Very thorough – but even reading them was an
effort.
For me, writing minutes forces me to pay attention
throughout the meeting and helps me (and probably
others) to remember what we have agreed to do.
A run through of everyone’s actions at the end of the meeting
can be enough to get everyone going.
I like to follow up immediately with an email recording the
actions and major decisions made. For actions, I bold the
person’s name so they can easily scan and find what they need to
do:
Michelle
to send Mary draft text by COB Wednesday 30-Aug.
Remember, you can use other communication methods to update
people on project progress—the minutes don’t have to tell the
whole story.
Reporting back to partners
By Michelle Riedlinger
Responding to our communication partners (such as the public) is
an extremely powerful communication tool. Yet, scientific
organisations rarely devote more than one per cent of their
resources to formally listening to their partners (getting
feedback on their values and views etc). And when they do
consult their partners, they spend even less on reporting this
information back and explaining how their input was used (or
not).
Reporting back demonstrates to partners that you seek an
on-going relationship with them. It helps your partners better
understand each other and it establishes their role in an
organisation or research project.
Early planning makes reporting back to partners easier:
-
Thank participants in surveys by indicating how the results
of the work will be used and where it can be obtained by
them e.g. web reports, posting hard copies, presentations.
-
Provide transcripts from interviews or focus groups so that
participants can make additions or changes that better
reflect their views.
-
Respond to participants who may wish to provide information
that is different from that requested.
-
Disseminate results of media analyses on shared issues of
interest so that communication partners see where they are
situated in public debate.
-
Compile a database of interested parties for on-going
communication on particular issues.
-
Provide mechanisms for communication partners to respond to
the results of the work and the organisation or project’s
response to it.
The power of free
By Melanie McKenzie
Trying to get your clients to report back to you? Psychologists
and good marketers alike are well aware that people love free
stuff.
And people are more willing to do something for you if you offer
them something first.
Let’s say you are looking for feedback in the form of a survey.
You could include something free in the envelope when you mail
the survey, or offer an incentive by entering completed surveys
into a draw for a free prize.
Keep in mind that the freebie is more effective if it relates to
your target audience.
Reporting back to journalists
By Sarah Bartlett
One area that is often overlooked but very much a part of
operating professionally within a communication environment is
reporting back to journalists who pick up stories you promote.
Journalists comment that they only hear back about stories when
things go bad.
Showing your respect for a job well done can be a great
opportunity for you to further develop your relationships with
journalists.
It is also good practice to encourage ‘talent’ (the interviewee)
in the story to report back to the journalist with positive
comments or if necessary reasonable and constructive criticism
of how their story was handled. But remember, sometimes a
mistake may not be the journalist’s fault—perhaps you were not
clear enough or perhaps the subeditor made changes.
Although journalists may infer that they don’t need feedback to
do their job, and may take it as opinion on their often personal
style of writing, feedback on the bones of journalistic
reporting—accuracy, interpretation and integrity—is always
quietly appreciated.
Surf club
This year’s Brisbane Writers Festival starts on Wednesday 13
September. Now is the time to book your seat at one of the
festival’s great events—most of them are free!
As part of the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards, Robyn
Williams will be announcing the winner of the Science Writer
Award at the Green Marquee, Saturday 16 September, 11:15 – 12:15
pm.
Quotation of the month
‘Why, a four-year-old child could understand this report. Run
out and find me a four-year-old child. I can't make head nor
tail out of it.’
Groucho Marx |
