The Five Rigths of Communication

Effective communication can make a huge difference in all areas of life. During an emergency or disaster effective communication can have even larger impacts. In these situations communication must be: timely, accurate, absent of emotion (just the facts), clear, and concise.

1. Right Person - Are you talking to the right person? Will talking to this person lead to your desired outcome? Could this communication be more effective if it was directed at someone else?
2. Right Time - Is this the most effective time to communicate your message? Will what you're saying truly be heard and understood? Ensure any barriers/distractions have been accounted for before starting to communicate.
3. Right Amount - Who hasn't been stopped by someone who took 5 -10 min to communicate something that should have taken 30 sec? There are times to be succinct and times when you must give more information to make your communication effective. Which is it? Decide before you open your mouth, start typing or writing.
4. Right Content - Is this really what I need to communicate right now, is this what they need to hear or see? Judge carefully what will make this the most effective content to achieve your desired outcome.
5. Right Method - What is the most effective means of getting my message across? Email, written letter, phone call, radio transmission, face to face? You have many choices - pick the right one depending on the situation, the desired outcome, who you are communicating with, and time constraints.

Practice these five strategies in your everyday communications and be prepared to respond with effective communication during an emergency.
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