Fortune 500 consultant Dianna Booher offers valuable communication advice highlighting how to communicate responsibly and effectively to make others understand and respond with good work and good will. Though written for business communications, the strategies are adaptable, as well as valuable, for congregations. Booher's method involves straight forward strategies cleverly organized around a series of alliterations. For each of these she provides specific tactics to help avoid mistakes, misinformation, and misunderstanding. The strategies include: Correct, Complete, Clear, Unclear, Consistent, Credible, Concerned, Current, Competent, and Circular. In each instance, Booher provides examples of what to say, how to say it effectively, when to say it, and how the communicator should present himself/herself. Of particular interest is Booher’s discussion of how to deliver “bad news” carefully and effectively. Booher’s techniques work effectively in whatever technological form the leader uses: conversation, letters and newsletters, email, voice mail, teleconferencing or social media. The strategies presented in this work are highly valuable for leaders of congregations who must deal not only with each other with care and respect, but must set good examples for the diverse constituencies they serve.

Curated by Brian Witwer