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by Fred Kirby     January 19, 2005 

In the home, business, and politics, communication makes us more efficient, improves relationships, and avoids those misunderstandings that can plague us all. As with all of us, council members can improve their skills. 

An important ingredient for good communication is being comfortable in our own skin. That is easier said than done but it is essential. It means a secure self able to acknowledge our mistakes. It means having ambition but not so much as to cloud our judgement. Nor, for honest communication, should we have hidden agendas. Hidden agendas, like lies, find us always checking in case we contradict ourselves. The easy part of communication is the technical stuff: the how-to, what, when and who. 

The ‘what’ is simple. Just about everything should be communicated or made available. There is seldom, if any, a reason for secrets in municipal government. 

‘When’ is now or the next day – certainly not the next month. 

‘Who’ is answered by the need to know question. In municipal government, every member of council and department head should have such a list. The wider the ‘need to know’ list, the more open the process will be and less susceptible to mistakes. Keeping people out of an information loop serves no useful purpose. 

The ‘how-to’ is straightforward but requires organization. In the council chamber a laptop sits in front of every member. Laptop computers are convenient; they can be carried everywhere. Scanners are ubiquitous and serve their purpose when digital copies need to be circulated. Distribution lists are simple to build and maintain. If a survey is thought needed by a committee, it can be created and sent with a covering note to all. It can even go on the website for all interested citizens to see along with the explanation and updates of the issue. 

The website should be the communication hub of the municipality but ours is a poorly designed beast. It needs to be fixed now. How that website should best be used warrants another column. For now I ask members of council to check their personal communication skills and keep their laptops handy. It will be good for them and good for us.