Chapter 1: Cornerstones of Communication

A former teaching colleague who previously worked as an editor for the Associated Press used to challenge students to name one job where being a better communicator wouldn’t be a benefit.  He would let the room stew, throw out some examples (waste management, firefighter, pharmacist) and then let the room stew some more. The reality sunk in as the students thought about this. Communication is about interaction with other people.

If you want to get a job, keep a job, be promoted or even have personal and professional relationships, communication is foundational. It could take the form of networking, public speaking, writing, persuasion, graphic design, group facilitation – and the list goes on. For professional communicators creating strategic messages on behalf of a brand, writing well and maintaining consistency in terms of written and visual style are cornerstones.

We’ll look at several ways to proactively strengthen these cornerstones:

• Write
• Read
• Be resourceful and curious
• Stick to a style (Associated Press style is the most widely used among public relations professionals)