Sustainable communication refers to practices that promote long-term, responsible, and ethical interactions among individuals and organizations. It might sound complicated on the page, but with the right amount of transparency, inclusivity, responsibility, adaptability, and skill, we could be onto something here. In the October 2024 post, I offer you a guide to effective speech as we look at building sustainable communication for the betterment of organizations and their people. Have a read. 

Building Sustainable Communication: A Guide for Effective Speech 

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright, critic, and political activist.

Over the last ten days, I was exposed to several events, panel discussions, and presentations about sustainability. I posted about it on LinkedIn here. Then, I spent most of the week thinking that regardless of the sustainable practice we are talking about (albeit finance, hiring, the environment, social justice, or so on) our efforts matter less, when we don’t have the communication skills we need to drive our messages with clarity, passion, and inspiring action.

We talk about change, advancements in technology, and even collaboration, yet at the center of it all, to drive these cars effectively, we need to explore what it means to have a crucial conversation.

Get ready to dive into these main points in today’s post:

➔ Understanding sustainability

➔ The power of effective communication

➔ Strategies for communicating sustainably

➔ Navigating crucial conversations

➔ The future of communication in sustainability

Let’s jump in.

Understanding Sustainability

At its core, sustainability refers to the ability to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Understandable, right?

When I think about sustainability, I think about things like the environment, social equity, economics, and the laws that govern local and global policies.

➔ Environmentally

This involves practices that protect natural resources and ecosystems, ensuring that our planet remains habitable. Does John Doe’s annual performance review really come into play if his roof has blown off his house in Hurricane Helene?

➔ Socially

Sustainability emphasizes equity and justice, advocating for the rights and well-being of all individuals, particularly marginalized communities. We see large organizations making a difference and this is so exciting. Just check out what The Global Citizen Organization is doing to learn more.

➔ Economically

Sustainability focuses on creating financial systems that support long-term economic health without depleting or causing harm to resources and populations. So many companies today invest in a variety of causes that you could learn about and get involved with right now!

➔ Governance

In order to promote these areas, sustainability has to establish frameworks and policies (shall we say, laws 😉) that guide decision-making, and ultimately, the management of the decisions, policies, and frameworks.

Now, without going deeper into the specific challenges of environmental, social, and economic sustainability and their governance, let’s look at how we can use our voices to foster dialogue and raise awareness. 

Communication must bridge the gap between knowledge and action.

Individuals and organizations must feel empowered to share best practices, mobilize communities, and advocate for policies that promote sustainability.

Can you imagine what it would sound like when stakeholders, governments, and for-profit and non-profit organizations inspire change and develop innovative solutions to complex sustainability issues with clear and engaging messaging?

Let’s Get Into The Power of Effective Communication

If you’ve worked with me, or have been following me for a while, you know how passionate I am about communication skills.

I started my young adulthood in acting, singing, and writing.

Once I attempted careers on the East and West coasts of The U.S., I quickly realized that it was authentic self-expression I was after and that I would be well-suited to get good at it personally, so I could help others with their speaking skills as well.

And so, I know a lot about the nuances of communication and will go into that right now!

➔ Types of Communication

When you think about communication what comes to mind?

Do you go straight to the written email or Slack exchange because that’s how your organization works?

Or, do you think of sitting in that Monday morning meeting and how you are going to stay succinct in your verbal message?

Whatever it is, today, we know we have to be clear, brief, and impactful no matter how we are communicating.

My work circles around the spoken word with a specialization in vocal presence. So, be sure you read all 3 bullets that follow:

➔ Message

I’m going to guess that if you are like many people I’ve coached, you spend most of your time working on your slides and the words you are going to speak. That’s a great place to start.

Preparation in this way is KEY to formal speeches—making sure you have an opening hook (like my quote by George Bernard Shaw at the top of today’s blog), an organized body, and a summary of what you’ve said.

Results-oriented presentations require we speak clearly and confidently on the subjects we have expertise.

Oh, and as an aside for today: you can even prepare for the impromptu messages with something my colleague, Lisa Parker, refers to as anticipated questions.

➔ Body

With the advancement of online communication, so many of us can hide behind our written words by either showing up to meetings with our cameras off or, worse yet, participating in critical online decisions without using our voices as well.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.

I’ll talk about the voice in a sec, but can you remember the last time you were in an online meeting where everyone had their cameras on?

Unless it’s a policy at your company, chances are that as many as 50% of people in a meeting could have their cameras OFF. And feel fine about it! (Here’s some more on this from a 2023 Fast Company article.)

Most of the coaching I do is online and it drives me mad when group participants refrain from coming fully to our workshops.

Look, it takes effort, courage, and attention to turn on our cameras, but if you don’t, you can lose as much as 58% of your communication effectiveness. Is that what you’re looking for?

I don’t think so.

Remember, our body language includes things like our posture, facial expressions, and hand gestures. When we add them, we enhance our chances to motivate others to action.

➔ Voice

All that said, let’s come to my favorite part of public speaking, the voice!

Yep!

As I said, I was a singer and actor in my early days.

These art forms require one to get out of their homes and into the hearts and souls of their listeners through the effectiveness of their voices.

The same is true for you when it comes to your spoken communication.

It doesn’t matter what you think, what you know, or what degree you have if you haven’t learned how to maximize your vocal presence.

What does that mean?

It means knowing when to get louder, how to shift your intonation, and even how to play with the resonance you apply to the sound of your voice.

Most of your listeners will not realize how deeply your voice will pull them in or push them away, but I can tell you that our voices are as unique as the details of our eyes and the lines in our thumbprints, so you’ll want to optimize yours to be the most powerful communicator you can be!

➔ Sustainable Messaging

I want to tie up this section by saying that when you stay clear with your words, engage with your voice and body, and use techniques like storytelling, hooks, and tripling, others will look forward to hearing you speak at the next town hall, board meeting, or Monday-morning update. And that is the beginning of sustainable communication, my friend!

But, let’s go a little further on this topic.

Strategies for Communicating Sustainably

➔ Know Your Audience

I’m sure you’ve been told on multiple occasions that if you’re not tailoring your message for your audience, you’re not speaking to anyone. So, start by asking yourself questions like:

✔️ How diverse will my listeners be?

✔️ What do they know on the subject?

✔️ Do they all know the same thing, or might I need to go deeper into some points than others?

You can start your audience analysis during your preparation phase (even if it’s for an informal conversation.) Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can get around this key fact!

➔ Use of Visuals

If you’ve got a deck and will present via slides, remember less is more. Try to keep as much white space on each slide as possible and make it interesting with infographics and even a short video if it makes sense. These can enhance your listeners’ understanding and retention which will make you a sustainable communicator.

➔ The Tripling Technique

Have you ever noticed that great storytellers repeat themselves? It’s true of great joke-tellers, too.

Repetition leads to retention.

Tripling, also known as the rule of three, involves grouping ideas or points into sets of three. Here’s an example:

We must embrace change, foster innovation, and cultivate resilience.

Three succinct ideas.

But, it’s not just a good rule of thumb to give examples in a group of three, you can also repeat a set of words at the beginning of each item in the group of three.

For example, you can say:

1. We need to focus on the environment.

2. We need to focus on people.

3. And, we need to focus on the governance that will drive us to sustainable results!

Get it?!

Use tripling to create rhythm and make your message memorable and impactful.

➔ Engagement Tactics

One last strategy I’ll suggest today that could help you establish sustainable conversations is to think about how you want others to interact when you present or speak.

Do you want people to feel welcome to jump in and ask questions during your speech? Tell them upfront.

Do you want to pause mid-way through a presentation and suggest audience members turn to the person next to them and discuss a question you propose? Try it!

Do you want to share the chairing of a meeting and let people know in advance that you’d like some of them to speak? Give them their sub-topic ahead of time.

There are several ways for us to change the communication game. Thinking about it sustaining a dialogue is key to our successful future.

Navigating Crucial Conversations

I don’t think I have to tell you that when we are passionate about our beliefs, conversations often get tougher.

So, what can you do when you find yourself in the middle of a crucial conversation?

Start by listening.

➔ Active Listening

These two words may be overused or unexplored by some, but active listening means that you are solely focused on hearing what’s being said. That involves putting down our electronics and giving our full attention.

Active listening can also include repeating what you heard to reflect someone’s thoughts to the speaker. That’s not just about respect, it can actually de-escalate tension when it arises.

You can also show some empathy by acknowledging the speaker’s feelings. You can say something like, “I can see how that would be frustrating for you.”

You don’t have to agree with them, but you can build rapport and trust with a simple statement like this (so long as you can do it sincerely, of course 😊)

➔ Establish Common Goals

Here’s another one that will help you get back on common ground. Look for common goals.

Can you identify a shared objective?

For example, you might say, “We both want to achieve the best outcome for our team.”

Or, as my brother often starts a sensitive conversation, “I know we both only want the best for one another, and that’s why I want to share this with you.”

Crucial doesn't need to lead to conflict. Stay collaborative in tone and focus on the bridge that’ll get everyone on the same page by looking for what you have in common as you go into your points.

➔ Use “I” Statements

The lovely “I” Statements.

So often in public speaking, I teach you to say “we.”

"We ought to consider..."

"We've made great strides..."

"We need to go further..."

This works well when inspiring, motivating, and staying inclusive, but when you're having a crucial conversation, you may need to defer to the “I” statement to express your feelings without sounding accusatory.

You definitely don't want to pull out the word "you!"

"You haven't met the deadline...again!"

Instead, try saying: “I feel concerned when deadlines are missed because it affects our project.” This approach reduces defensiveness and opens the door for dialogue.

No one can take away how you feel or stop you from voicing your perspective, right?

When you’re facing a potential barrier in communication that you think is insurmountable, think again. There are ways to gain common ground, build trust, and create a constructive atmosphere for understanding and action.

The Future of Communication in Sustainability

I’m not here today to preach about sustainability, but I would like to circle back to say that we live in a moment where life is moving faster than we could ever imagine, and we have responsibilities as world citizens to use our voices in our areas of expertise to add value.

I aim to do that by teaching you about communication skills.

Are you ready to step up and deeply embrace what you have to say (whether it be in a first or second language?)

Because our speech practices will be the underlying force that makes or breaks the future of the environment we aim to sustain; the people and cultures we hope to sustain, the economies we wish to sustain, and the laws we plan to implement to keep our planet afloat.

✔️ Use your voice for good.

✔️ Explore digital communication trends that are sustainable.

✔️ Use social media responsibly.

✔️ Then, we can all do our part to emerge as sustainable communicators.