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Communication: Ten basic tips

1. Make communications a focus.

2. Do not substitute technology for communication. Technology is an effective tool, not a
substitute for good interpersonal communication.

3. Consider who needs to know what, and how and when they will receive the information.
Do not circulate information to a wide audience when only a few people will need to
respond. ‘Information overload’ is an ever‐present danger.

4. Keep your communication as positive as possible. Avoid knee‐jerk negative responses.

5. If you are asked a question and you do not have the answer, respond with ‘I don’t know,
but I’ll find out’, or maybe with ‘I don’t know, but I will ask (person X) to find out’.

6. Be sensitive to misinterpretation of your writing. For example, written correspondence
and email that you may have written casually may be taken very seriously by the recipient.
Give each message a second reading. Read it from the recipient’s perspective.

7. Don’t fabricate excuses to cover your mistakes.

8. It’s alright to change your mind when new evidence comes to light, as long as you don’t do
it so often that you are labelled indecisive.
9. Don’t take yourself too seriously. (Take your work seriously, but not yourself.)

10. Once again, never underestimate the importance of communication, but make it clear to
the audience why they are being told this and what they are to do with the information.

(The National Association of Head Teachers, 2007)

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