COMMUNICATION

You ought to know what to say and how to say it and when to say it. You ought to know your audience and make them understand whatever you are putting out.  Communication is key to the development of any society. Many have attempted but have either not been serious with it or don't know the implications of doing a poor job. Some communicators ignore their target groups and thus, end up talking to only a small section of their audience. The rest, left in an abyss of confusion. How can we all be on the same page, when all communicators do is try to impress with literary devices. Others too are just verbose (politicians the worst culprits). Communication should be very simple. I am not by this saying don't make your speeches or write-ups beautiful but just make them comprehensible. Communication is made compulsory in the tertiary institutions because it is very important. How one carries a message from one place to the other without affecting the substance is vital. 

Government communicators have always done what I call, 'Doing the Laundry'. They wait, when perception is well established and appears like the truth, then they come in to offer explanations hoping it would be accepted. Perception becomes the truth when there is no communication whatsoever.  People tend to hazard all sorts of guesses and preach it both far and wide. When finally the horses come out with the truth,  it creates confusion of some sort in the minds of people. I call that a potpourri. This can always be avoided if one is always updated. What can be so annoying is this, you are at a certain somewhere waiting for a particular service.  The clock keeps ticking yet no one comes to tell you what is happening. This can always get awkward as the impatient ones would become very bitter and can cause a scene. This can be pinned on those whose duty it was to keep the people informed. A dereliction of duty the cause. Some simply are ignorant of the implications of not always informing people. Don't wait till you are asked because the one who asks you is not always a happy man.  He or she may have just had it to the neck. Keep people informed! Don't make it a habit to always be apologizing for avoidable things. It's annoying I always have to be asking instead of you telling me. No matter the job, communication is key. 

Try as much as possible to prevent the perceptions because you may not be able to convince people after they have been informed of something even if wrongly. Let the right information flow and it should be timely. Simple English is good English, just make your target group understand. 

NB; You speak to be heard. 

You speak to a people.

 Know thy target group.

 Know also that, communication is a serious job. 

Always keep people informed and updated.

Do not take people for granted!  

Do not assume they will understand.

Explain what you mean. 

Thank you.