That is why I would like to take advantage of 4 February – International Cancer Day – to share a reflection that will hopefully help us overcome a paradigm that limits the transformative power of communication by understanding it as a mere process of disseminating information.

This reductionist view of communication, which naively attributes to it the ability to change perceptions and behaviours, has a significant opportunity cost when we talk about social challenges such as cancer, which require a shift in the focus of communication from persuasion and reputation to cooperation and its prerequisite: trust.

The purpose of the learning service

The digitisation of the economy and the automation of knowledge production systems, which are driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also require a new conception of the relationships between organisations and their environment.

While it is true that we have accepted the need to transform organisational models towards greater decentralisation and autonomy, the role of corporate culture in transformation projects and the implications of its relevance for the managerial role itself are not so well known.

The influence of corporate culture on organisational behaviour manifests itself through shared core beliefs about ‘what needs to be done’ in line with the organisation’s raison d’être and the results of observing the environment, listening, introspection and reflection; processes that make learning the basis of the evolutionary process of individuals and organisations.

This paradigm shift regarding the role of communication requires a prior paradigm shift regarding the role of leadership in organisations with social impact. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the relationship between corporate communication, transformational leadership and the influence of corporate purpose.

Trust as a starting point

Only through trust can a vision for change be created that breaks down knowledge silos and develops collective innovation capabilities in collaboration with other key players in the environment.

The cultural influence of leadership and its transformative capacity stem from trust and the reinforcement of the ability to ‘learn to learn’, both within the organisation and in the society of which it forms part.

It is this capacity that allows us to change continuously by integrating two equally necessary forces into the behaviour of organisations and society: change and stability. Therefore, we can say that corporate culture is both the cause and effect of the evolution of organisational identity.

Dynamism of culture

The dynamism of corporate culture is embodied in a conversational process that helps us replace ideas that no longer serve to explain reality and guide our behaviour.

From this perspective, communication must be a transformative conversation that consists of:

• The expression of the values that arise from the shared beliefs
• The creation of symbols
• The interpretation of reality.

Organisational learning thus defines the new managerial function, which consists of promoting new communication processes capable of moving from discourse on ‘innovative culture’ to innovative behaviour resulting from the transformative capacity of the union between thought and action thanks to a constructive and ongoing debate on identity.

The influence of this innovative culture on the dynamism of the organisation and its social impact are the result of:

• Contextual intelligence, which results from integrating relevant information from outside and inside the organisation.
• Creative confidence, which is achieved through the generalisation of a sense of belonging and awareness of the organisation’s distinctive personality (self-knowledge).
• The high level of commitment, which requires ‘intrinsic motivation’.

Lead from the future

Action-oriented thinking stimulates cultural dynamism and turns it into a factor for change by guiding relationships with other key players, both to improve decision-making and to design future scenarios.

A dynamic organisation requires a communication system that reinforces not only collective awareness of the organisational purpose, but also an understanding of the usefulness of a few simple rules that determine the behaviour necessary to achieve it and that also condition the way in which future challenges are faced.

This collective vision enables the organisation to evolve in solidarity with its environment and activates a network of alliances to monitor the evolution of potential risks, facilitating anticipation and preparation for crisis situations.

Accountability: inside and outside

An organisation’s strategic link with its environment is truly effective when it has an accountability system in place, both for the contribution of each part of the organisation and for the impact of the whole on society.

Only if we stop viewing reputation as an end in itself and use it to build genuine relationships of trust, will we be able to convert information from a global and dynamic environment into continuous knowledge and innovation, while also strengthening transparency.

To achieve this, senior management and governing bodies must contribute, with the support of communications professionals, to:

• Create a sense of alignment and encourage experimentation through the way you behave and interact.
• Create stories that connect identity with the dynamism of the environment
• Design and update listening systems
• Design and update support systems to overcome obstacles in the learning and personal development process.
• Design and update systems for measuring social impact and their consistency with the organisation’s priorities.
• Design and update talent management systems
  • Recognition systems based on the sense of belonging
  • Compensation for the contribution to results
  • Compensation for the contribution to collective learning
  • Compensation for the contribution to the connection with the environment

These indicators of learning and innovation capacity must be integrated into the management model so that they can be assessed in terms of their relationship to and influence on the dynamics of:

• Financial assets
• The value proposition
• Internal processes, especially those involving:
  • Senior management
  • Teams in the core of operations
  • Communication
  • Marketing
  • Human Resources

It may seem that many organisations that genuinely want to be impactful entities are far from having a communication system designed to create an effective link with their environment.

The intention with which I share this reflection is precisely to point out that the path is short if that will is sincere; it is the path of surrender of accounts.

Hopefully, this reflection will also help to put corporate communication at the service of cooperation—beyond shared intentions—among all organisations working for the well-being of people with cancer.

*Article written by Ángel Losada Vázquez, professor of corporate communication at the Pontifical University of Salamanca. Chair of the Committee for Communication, marketing and public affairs of the Spanish Association Against Cancer

La entrada Communication in organisations with impact. From reputation to transformative trust. se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

Two years ago, we shared some basic recommendations to encourage communication professionals to experiment with AI and start using it in their tasks. Now it’s time to take it a step further and integrate it into routines and work processes consistently, effectively and ethically.

To help you, I share five learnings I wish I had known when I first started using generative AI. I have been using AI intensively for two years now. Every day I use some, if not more, generative AI tool to perform communication tasks: from copywriting and analysis to strategy planning for my clients and for #TheImperdibles school.

These are the five lessons that have taken me hours of experimentation and testing, and that I would have loved to have known at the beginning of the journey:

Give complete prompts: define the role, context and objectives.

In AI, the quality of the instructions is everything. A simple sentence is often not enough: the more detailed and clear the prompt,, the better the results. Apply the ‘garbage in, garbage out’ maxim: if you enter imprecise instructions, you will get mediocre answers.

Define the role you want the AI to adopt (communication expert, copywriter…); provide context (target audience, channels, brand tone) and explain the end goal of the task. If you also specify the format in which you expect to get the response and give an example, all the better.

Here’s an example: “Give me a post for LinkedIn on the impact of AI in communication” is too vague.

It will give you better results to ask: “Act as an expert in communication and social media. Write a post for LinkedIn about the impact of AI in communication. The post should be between 400 and 500 words. Include a CTA that encourages people to leave a comment. Here are 2 examples of posts I have published on this topic so you can see my writing style and approach, and apply them to this text”.

Train the tool: experiment with various options and choose the best one (for you).

Not all generative AI tools work the same. It is essential to test different options and evaluate which one best suits your needs and the way you work.

Spend time experimenting, do the same task with several tools and compare their responses. Repeat the process as many times as necessary until you find ‘your AI tool’, the one you understand best and the one that works best for you.

Training the tool does not mean configuring it or knowing how to code, but understanding how to interact with it to get what you are looking for and using it repeatedly, telling it what it does well and what it does not, so that it learns and gives you answers that are more and more aligned with you.

Continuing with the example of the LinkedIn post: the first time you ask it for this task, you will probably not be convinced by the result. If you tell the tool what you like about the proposed post and what you don’t, make adjustments and pass it your final version, it will learn. In my experience, from the 3rd time you repeat this process, the results will pleasantly surprise you.

Invest in a paid license of the tool of your choice

The free versions are an excellent starting point, but they have limitations in features, speed and privacy. If you find a tool that works well for your workflow, I recommend you purchase a paid license. I assure you it will be an excellent investment, with a good return.

This will not only give you access to more features with fewer limitations, but will also guarantee a higher level of privacy and security. And yes: it will also give you more refined and higher quality results.

By the way: keep in mind that, for most tools, you can purchase licenses on a monthly basis. So you can sign up when you need it and unsubscribe when you are not going to use it. Although I warn you that it is very likely that when you get used to it, you will never want to work without it again.

Use it only in tasks where it really adds value.

Although AI can be useful in many areas, it is not a magic solution for everything. Prioritize those tasks where its implementation will save you time and improve quality.

And how do I know which tasks to apply it to and which not to apply it to? Well, once again, you will have to try and experiment to get the answer. In case it inspires you: in the example of the LinkedIn post, I would ask ChatGPT to give me ideas for a post about the impact of AI in communication. I would choose one of the proposed ideas to further refine with ChatGPT. Then I would give him sample posts and directions for length, approach, etc. But I would never directly ask you to write the post without further details.

Automate the operational and apply it only to what really enhances your skills. Being selective is key for AI to really improve productivity and not end up being a time thief.

Do not upload confidential information or personal data.

Ethics and data security should be a priority for a communication professional. AI tools, especially in their free versions, can use the content we give them to further train their models.

Avoid uploading sensitive, confidential or personal data-related information. Caution is essential to protect your work and that of your clients.

In my case, I apply a rule in projects with clients: I only upload to the AI tool information that is published openly on their website. If I need to work with data that is not public, I either ask the client for permission, or I anonymize it before uploading it.

Define your guidelines for ethical and responsible use of AI to avoid scares and legal problems.

And I add a bonus to the list: don’t feel bad about using AI in your work.

Using AI does not make you less professional or detract from your work. On the contrary, it shows that you are taking advantage of the tools available to enhance your performance.

Remember that it is not the AI that does the work: it is you who guides, configures and reviews each step. Working hand-in-hand with these tools not only allows you to be more efficient, but also empowers your capabilities and gives you superpowers. The key is to integrate AI as an ally and not as a substitute.

By the way: I wrote this post with the help of ChatGPT. I told him I was preparing a post for a communication agency’s blog, told him the topic and dictated the introductory paragraph and some personal learnings. From there we chatted until we refined the 5 recommendations. I then gave him ideas for each tip so he could prepare a draft. I edited the draft and, before closing the conversation, I shared the final version with him so he could review my final tweaks.

I didn’t give him examples of posts because I already have him trained: months ago I spent several hours to have him analyze my writing style, the type of articles I write, the expressions I usually use… With this information I created a GPT that doesn’t replace me, but helps me to write my articles. The result is not bad at all, don’t you think? How did the post sound to you?

*Article written by Cristina Aced, digital communication consultant and teacher, founder of the school of #LasImperdibles de comunicación

La entrada The 5 inescapable lessons in AI that every communicator should know se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

What is assertive communication?

Assertive communication is the ability to express a message, an attitude, a value, an opinion or an emotion in an active way, but without harming or attacking our interlocutor. It is a mature way of communicating, with which we are able to deliver our message and defend our rights in a skillful way and with the certainty that it will reach the receiver correctly. It is very common to confuse the concept of assertiveness with the ability to “say no”, but the term is much broader and includes many other social skills implicit in it.

RAE definition of assertiveness

The Real Academia Española definition of assertiveness does not give us too many clues about the practical use of the term. However, we can find some signs by searching for the same word and some related ones:

• Assertion. Affirmation of the certainty of something.
• Assertiveness. Quality of assertiveness.
• Assertive. Who expresses his opinion in a firm manner

What does an assertive communicator look like?

People who communicate assertively usually meet a series of personal attributes or characteristics, without which it would be impossible to communicate effectively:

Freedom of expression

People who practice assertive communication have a sense of freedom and confidence to express their thoughts, feelings, opinions and needs appropriately. They are not afraid to speak on their own behalf and do not feel constrained by fear of rejection or criticism.

Direct, appropriate, open and honest communication

Assertive communication involves the ability to express oneself directly and clearly, avoiding ambiguities or confusing messages. Assertive people choose their words carefully and ensure that their message is understandable to others. They are honest in their communications and avoid manipulation or avoidance of the truth.

Ease of communication with all kinds of people

Assertive people are able to establish and maintain effective communication with different types of people, regardless of their social position, hierarchy or personality. They have empathy and active listening skills, which enable them to understand others’ points of view and adapt their communication accordingly.

Respectable behavior and acceptance of one’s own limitations.

People who practice assertive communication are aware of the importance of mutual respect in interactions. They maintain a respectful behavior towards others, avoiding the use of offensive, aggressive or derogatory language. In addition, they are able to recognize and accept their own limitations, without feeling threatened or inferior because of it.

Healthy self-confidence and self-esteem

An assertive person has good self-esteem and self-confidence. They value themselves and believe in their own right to express themselves and be heard. They have a positive self-image and do not rely on external validation to feel confident in their communications.

Basic assertive rights

Assertiveness and assertive communication is based on some basic assertive rights. Manuel J. Smith, associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of California and considered the pioneer of assertive rights and assertive therapy, wrote in 1975 “When i say no, i feel guilty“, a manual in which some of these rights are included in the so-called “Assertive Bill of Rights“, which quickly became popular in the United States. However, nowadays, psychology professionals usually work with a broader list of assertive rights. We include below, slightly modified, those proposed by psychologist Alberto Soler:

List of 22 assertive rights

1. Sometimes, you have the right to be first. Always yielding to others, not communicating your wishes or preferences does not make you more courteous. Don’t say “whatever you want” when you have a preference.
2. You have the right to make mistakes. Mistakes are part of life, they are necessary for learning. Don’t be ashamed of them and defend your right to make them.
3. You are entitled to your own opinions and beliefs.
4. You have the right to change your mind, opinion, or action.
5. You have the right to express criticism and protest unfair treatment, but always in a way that is respectful of others.
6. You have the right to try to change what does not satisfy you.
7. You have the right to ask for help or emotional support.
8. You have the right to feel and express pain.
9. You have the right to ignore the advice of others.
10. You are entitled to recognition for a job well done, both by others and by yourself.
11. You have the right to refuse a request, to say “no” without feeling guilty or selfish.
12. You have the right to be alone, even when others desire your company.
13. You have the right not to justify yourself to others. Sometimes a “No, thank you” is enough.
14. You have the right not to take responsibility for other people’s problems.
15. You have the right not to anticipate the wants and needs of others and not to have to intuit them.
16. You have the right to be treated with dignity and to protest if you feel this is not the case.
17. You have the right to have your own needs and that they are as important as those of others.
18. You have the right to experience and express your own feelings, as well as to be their sole judge.
19. You have the right to stop and think before you act.
20. You have the right to ask for what you want and not take no for an answer.
21. You are entitled to do less than you are capable of doing. You can’t always perform at your best.
22. You have the right to decide what to do with your body, time and property.

Passive, aggressive and assertive communication

Assertive communication is halfway between passive or inhibited communication – we keep quiet, we “keep to ourselves” what we think, we do not express what we really want to say – and aggressive communication – we do not keep anything to ourselves, but we send the message in an inappropriate tone or attitude. To better understand the concept, let’s use a simple example. Let’s imagine that we are in line at the movie theater and a person sneaks in.

• Passive or inhibited communication would consist of not saying anything, even though we have been angered by the situation, causing an important feeling of frustration.
• Aggressive communication, on the other hand, would cause us to shout or speak with bad manners, almost certainly leading to a conflict situation.
• However, assertive communication would consist of, with total tranquility, looking into the eyes and even with a slight smile and an appropriate tone of voice, communicating to the person that we were in front of him/her.

Five steps to establish assertive communication

It is logical to think that the situations we face every day, whether in the social, work or family environment, are not as simple as the one in the cinema queue. However, the use of assertive communication can help us a lot in the vast majority of social interactions in multiple areas. But how to do it? We will now review five essential guidelines for communicating assertively:

1. Think about the problem, not the person.

It is very common that when we have a disagreement, an exchange of views or an argument, we focus on the person instead of the problem. Focus on the reason for the problem and listen carefully to what messages are being sent, not who is sending them, trying to free yourself from certain prejudices. Don’t take a situation you don’t like personally.

2. Take care of your verbal and non verbal communication

It is useless to have an appropriate tone of voice if our body shows signs of aggressiveness, or vice versa. Our verbal and non-verbal language should be as coherent as possible and be shown in the same line or orientation.

3. Listen, listen, listen

To put assertive communication into practice, it is necessary to listen, not just hear. Many times we are thinking more about our own speech than about what our interlocutor is transmitting to us. Pay attention first to what he/she is saying, respect his/her time and show that you are paying attention by practicing active listening.

4. Being empathetic does not mean agreeing

Another key element for our communication to be assertive is to practice empathy, or in other words, to put ourselves in the other person’s place and make him/her see clearly. When faced with a disagreement or a situation that makes us uncomfortable, try telling your interlocutor “I understand perfectly what you are saying”, “I have listened carefully to what you have said”, “I think your opinion on the matter is clear to me”. Once this is done, the person we are talking to knows that we have paid attention to him/her and will be more receptive to listen to our point of view.

5. Put into practice some assertive techniques

On paper it seems very simple to put assertive communication into practice, but we can find ourselves in quite complex situations. In these cases, it is advisable to use some of the assertive tactics that work best, which we will now look at.

Assertive communication techniques

In theory, assertive communication may seem simple to implement, but in practice, we face situations that can be quite complex. In these cases, it is useful to resort to some assertive tactics that have proven to be effective. Below, we will explore some of these techniques that can facilitate the use of assertive communication.

Scratched disc

This assertive technique consists of insisting on the same message over and over again until the other person understands our position. By using the broken record, we repeat our point of view in a calm and firm manner, without being provocative or straying from the topic. For example, we might say, “Yes, I heard you, but I want you to understand that…”

Assertive postponement

Assertive deferral involves letting our interlocutor know that the current moment is not the right time to continue the discussion. This technique is useful when, despite using assertive communication, we cannot get the other person to understand our point of view or when the conversation becomes too aggressive. We can express: “I would like to resume this conversation at another time, when we are both calmer and can talk calmly”.

Assertive question

Assertive questioning consists of responding to the other person by asking questions to obtain more information, without directly questioning or challenging what has been said. This technique allows us to gain clarity and better understand the other person’s perspective. For example, we might ask, “I understand that you have a criticism of my work, could you give me more details so I can better understand your concerns?”

Assertive agreement

The technique of assertive agreement involves showing understanding and partially agreeing with the other person, while insisting on the error or misunderstanding. It involves avoiding direct confrontation and focusing on the problem rather than attacking the person. For example, we might say, “I understand your point of view and agree in part, but I also want to point out that there is an error in the information you are using as the basis for your argument.”

“I” instead of “you”

Instead of accusing or blaming the other person, focus on expressing your feelings and needs using “I” statements. For example, instead of saying, “You are always late and keep me waiting,” you might say, “I feel frustrated when I am on time and have to wait.”

Fog bank

This technique consists of avoiding entering into unnecessary arguments or debates. Instead of aggressively defending your point of view, acknowledge the valid elements in the other person’s perspective and make subtle adjustments without losing your position. For example, you might say, “I understand that you have some concerns. Let’s take your comments into consideration and explore other options.”

Negotiation of requirements

When you find yourself in a situation where your needs and those of the other person seem to conflict, look for compromise solutions that satisfy both of you. Focus on finding common ground and proposing alternatives. For example, you might say, “I understand that you want us to do this this way, but what do you say we try a combination of both approaches?”

Acknowledgment and recognition

Although you may disagree with the other person, it is important to acknowledge and appreciate the positive points of their perspective. This shows respect and openness to constructive dialogue. For example, you might say, “I appreciate your concern about this issue and value your input. However, I would like to explore some additional alternatives.”

Use of “I feel” instead of “you make me feel”.

Avoid blaming the other person for your emotions and, instead, communicate how you feel and how you can work together to solve the problem. For example, instead of saying, “You make me feel sad,” you might say, “I feel sad in this situation and would like to find a way to make it better.” These assertive communication techniques are useful tools for handling complex situations where dialogue can become difficult. However, it is important to remember that each situation is unique, and it is necessary to adapt these techniques according to the context and the people involved. Practicing and developing these skills will allow us to communicate more effectively and build healthier relationships.

Examples of phrases for assertive communication

There are many examples of assertive phrases that we can use in our daily life, according to different contexts. Some examples might be: -Excuse me, I was first in line. -Are you sure? I don’t think so -I insist, I was in front of you, I assure you (broken record)

“You always end up getting angry with me.” “You may be right, but it’s something we should discuss calmly another time” (Assertive deferral).

-We are late, as usual, because of you. -It’s possible, what do you think I could do to improve that? (Assertive question).

Applications of assertive communication in different situations.

Continuing with some more examples, let’s see how we could apply assertive communication in different situations of daily life:

Expressing a personal opinion

• “In my opinion, I think it would be more effective to approach the project this way.”
• “I respect your point of view, but I also want to share my perspective on the issue.”

Establishing personal limits

• “I understand that you need my help, but at this time I cannot commit myself. I have other commitments I must fulfill.”
• “I feel uncomfortable when that topic is brought up. I prefer not to discuss it and keep the conversation on a more positive note.”

Reject an application or proposal

• “I appreciate you considering me, but at this time I cannot accept that additional responsibility.”
• “I don’t feel comfortable participating in that activity. Thank you for thinking of me, but I’ll have to pass this time.”

Expressing emotions and feelings

• “When you constantly interrupt me, I get frustrated and can’t express my ideas properly. Could we give each of us a space to talk without interruptions?”
• “I feel happy and excited about this new project. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

Giving and receiving constructive feedback

• “I appreciate your effort on this project, but I think we could improve the presentation if we included more concrete examples.”
• “I would like to give you feedback on your presentation. I think you could improve your body language to convey more confidence.”

Advantages of assertive communication

Effective use of assertive communication brings us many advantages:

Increased sense of control over the environment and over ourselves.

By using assertive communication, we are able to express our opinions and needs effectively, which gives us a sense of empowerment and control over our lives. It allows us to set appropriate boundaries and make conscious decisions, which contributes to our emotional and personal well-being.

2. Improves self-esteem, self-knowledge and emotional management.

Assertive communication involves knowing and expressing our emotions appropriately. By practicing it, we develop a greater awareness of our own needs and feelings, which helps us strengthen our self-esteem and manage our emotions in a healthier way. This contributes to greater emotional well-being and more satisfying relationships.

It helps us to live more rewarding situations and experiences.

By communicating assertively, we establish more authentic and closer relationships with others. It allows us to convey our ideas and desires clearly, which increases the chances that we will be understood and our needs will be taken into account. This leads to more satisfying and rewarding experiences in our personal and professional interactions.

4. Improved interpersonal relationships

Assertive communication fosters empathy and mutual respect in our relationships. By expressing ourselves clearly and respectfully, we generate an atmosphere of trust and openness, which strengthens bonds with others. It also allows us to communicate more effectively, avoiding misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts.

5. Allows for better conflict resolution

When we communicate assertively, we are able to express our concerns and disagreements in a constructive manner. This facilitates conflict resolution by encouraging open and respectful dialogue. By seeking mutually satisfactory solutions, a climate of collaboration and understanding is promoted. Communicating assertively is essential to improve our day-to-day personal and professional lives. Do you always practice assertive communication?

La entrada Assertive communication: what it is and how to put it into practice se publicó primero en Agencia comma.