Improving Improving CommunicationsCommunications

Help for you to OWN your Help for you to OWN your communications communications

Communications: Communications: it’s not just for “the boss”it’s not just for “the boss”

Reporting is often seen as an Reporting is often seen as an expression of hierarchy expression of hierarchy

(“you must give me this information”) (“you must give me this information”) instead of instead of

sharing information for learningsharing information for learning..

Communications Serves YOUCommunications Serves YOU

Communications should make you Communications should make you energized and confident about the energized and confident about the importance and impact of your work.importance and impact of your work.

Communications should inform AND Communications should inform AND inspireinspire

Ask yourself: what do you want to happen Ask yourself: what do you want to happen as a result of your message in a report or as a result of your message in a report or a meeting?a meeting?

You have project objectives? You have project objectives?

Then you also have Then you also have

COMMUNICATIONS objectives.COMMUNICATIONS objectives.

Use What You Already Have/DoUse What You Already Have/Do

You can use things you have written to You can use things you have written to others in your formal reports later:others in your formal reports later: Save all emails you send Save all emails you send Take notes whenever you are on the Take notes whenever you are on the

phonephone Take your own notes in meetingsTake your own notes in meetings

How to Write a GREAT ReportHow to Write a GREAT Report

Practical tips to improve your written Practical tips to improve your written communicationscommunications

(please see the handout as well)(please see the handout as well)

For What Audiences are For What Audiences are We Writing?We Writing?

Donor communityDonor community UNDPUNDP MinistryMinistry Afghan publicAfghan public YOURSELFYOURSELF

Different audiences have different needs!Different audiences have different needs!

Formats:Formats: general theme: general theme: result-based reporting result-based reporting (what was (what was

achieved)achieved) follow the format, divide your inputs into usually follow the format, divide your inputs into usually

activities, achievements, challenges, activities, achievements, challenges, etc.etc. Try to fill in all the categories:Try to fill in all the categories:

Risks Risks (you cannot directly influence)(you cannot directly influence) can be: weather can be: weather conditions, the security situation etc. conditions, the security situation etc.

Issues Issues (you can change through diff. programming):(you can change through diff. programming): understaffing, lack of funding etc. , every projects understaffing, lack of funding etc. , every projects encounters these encounters these

explain thingsexplain things as if you were explaining what you as if you were explaining what you are doing to a friend. are doing to a friend. Processes have to be Processes have to be explained in more detail to donors than they explained in more detail to donors than they have to be to the Dep. Minister.have to be to the Dep. Minister.

Refer to Your Work Plan:Refer to Your Work Plan:

Ask yourself: How does this activity or Ask yourself: How does this activity or result tie to my unit’s work plan?result tie to my unit’s work plan?

Why was an activity proposed, but not Why was an activity proposed, but not implemented? What were the challenges?implemented? What were the challenges?

Three KEY questions:Three KEY questions:

What period are we reporting on?What period are we reporting on? what report is your input for (monthly? quarterly?...) what report is your input for (monthly? quarterly?...) Indicate this in the text andIndicate this in the text and file namefile name

What difference are you as part of NABDP What difference are you as part of NABDP making?making?

What is working and what is What is working and what is notnot working? working? How were challenges addressed? These How were challenges addressed? These

can often be turned into good can often be turned into good lessons lessons learnt.learnt.

Follow-up from report-to-report:Follow-up from report-to-report:

Follow-up on what you wrote in the previous Follow-up on what you wrote in the previous report:report: if you said that you were going to provide if you said that you were going to provide a training, then describe what happened to that a training, then describe what happened to that idea in the next reportidea in the next report

For this purpose, please, also For this purpose, please, also keep a copy of keep a copy of your inputsyour inputs that you have sent to the that you have sent to the Communications unitCommunications unit

Informal ObservationsInformal Observations

Informal observationsInformal observations are very welcome are very welcome The Kuchi man changing his mindThe Kuchi man changing his mind Convincing men to involve their womenConvincing men to involve their women

Come to tell us, if you think you have a Come to tell us, if you think you have a good story to tellgood story to tell

If you are keeping a journal, share relevant If you are keeping a journal, share relevant parts with usparts with us

Meetings & TrainingsMeetings & Trainings

If you mention that you attended meetings If you mention that you attended meetings or that you conducted trainings, please, or that you conducted trainings, please, mention the following:mention the following: WhyWhy was the meeting/ training important? – was the meeting/ training important? –

reasons & resultsreasons & results, , who participatedwho participated Did it work out the way you had planned it?Did it work out the way you had planned it? What is going to be differentWhat is going to be different now that the now that the

meeting took place/ the training was meeting took place/ the training was conducted?conducted?

Provision for InputsProvision for Inputs

The unit should inform Gunda/Fariba about The unit should inform Gunda/Fariba about who who (1 person per unit) will provide(1 person per unit) will provide an input for a an input for a report, so that Gunda/Fariba knows with whom report, so that Gunda/Fariba knows with whom to follow-up. Also, please inform this designee to follow-up. Also, please inform this designee about his or her responsibilities! about his or her responsibilities!

In case if your absence, please, inform Gunda/ In case if your absence, please, inform Gunda/ Fariba Fariba before you leavebefore you leave regarding who will regarding who will provide the input instead of you. Also, please provide the input instead of you. Also, please inform this designee about his or her inform this designee about his or her responsibilities!responsibilities!

DeadlinesDeadlines

Deadlines are Deadlines are realreal Many deadlines are Many deadlines are regularregular (so please (so please

budget time for them)budget time for them) Deadlines are set by MRRD, donors and Deadlines are set by MRRD, donors and

UNDP, UNDP, notnot the communications unit the communications unit

We’re Here to HelpWe’re Here to Help Invite a member of the communications unit to Invite a member of the communications unit to

sit in on your unit meetings and de-briefings; we sit in on your unit meetings and de-briefings; we will take notes to use in your monthly reportswill take notes to use in your monthly reports

Set a time for one of us to interview you about Set a time for one of us to interview you about your training, workshop, project, etc.); you can your training, workshop, project, etc.); you can speak and our team member will take notes and speak and our team member will take notes and produce a written report for you to reviewproduce a written report for you to review

Bring us your rough information and ask how Bring us your rough information and ask how you can improve the informationyou can improve the information

Use our tools (“How to Write a Report”, Use our tools (“How to Write a Report”, “Questions to ask yourself as you write”)“Questions to ask yourself as you write”)

Photos are Photos are a Part of a Part of ReportingReporting

Why Take Photos?Why Take Photos?

Proof of work being doneProof of work being done To show progressTo show progress To show PEOPLE (it’s nice to see instead To show PEOPLE (it’s nice to see instead

of just read)of just read) Other reasons?Other reasons?

TAKE PHOTOS!!TAKE PHOTOS!!1.1. Be respectful; ask for permission; notify the group that photos will be taken and Be respectful; ask for permission; notify the group that photos will be taken and

how they will be used.how they will be used.

2.2. Take LOTS of photos.Take LOTS of photos. Take several photos of the same scene, from the same Take several photos of the same scene, from the same angle and different angles.angle and different angles.

3.3. Outside shots are best (because of light), but take pictures away from the sun, if Outside shots are best (because of light), but take pictures away from the sun, if possible.possible.

4.4. When inside, get close to the subject, and try to aim away (instead of into) light When inside, get close to the subject, and try to aim away (instead of into) light sources.sources.

5.5. Get FACES and ACTION when possible.Get FACES and ACTION when possible.

6.6. Get Get C C O O L L O O RR when possible. when possible.

7.7. Show local people talking, teaching, learning, working, etc. Show local people talking, teaching, learning, working, etc.

8.8. As much as local culture and circumstances allow, get photos of women.As much as local culture and circumstances allow, get photos of women.

9.9. It’s okay to arrange people for a photo (e.g. asking people to stand in a certain It’s okay to arrange people for a photo (e.g. asking people to stand in a certain place).place).

10.10. Remember that photos will serve many needs (donors, government, internal use, Remember that photos will serve many needs (donors, government, internal use, etc.).etc.).

For Indoor PhotosFor Indoor Photos

Get CLOSE to the main subject(s), and try Get CLOSE to the main subject(s), and try to aim away (instead of into) light sources.to aim away (instead of into) light sources.

Get FACES, with EXPRESSION if Get FACES, with EXPRESSION if possible.possible.

Ask signers of an agreement to pose Ask signers of an agreement to pose together (stand close together with the together (stand close together with the agreement, have them shake hands and agreement, have them shake hands and face the camera, etc.) after signing for a face the camera, etc.) after signing for a photo. photo.

Share Your Info!!Share Your Info!!

Share written and verbal info with your Share written and verbal info with your unit supervisor and the Communications unit supervisor and the Communications office (Gunda, Jayne, & Fariba)office (Gunda, Jayne, & Fariba)

If only in Dari, that’s okay – share the If only in Dari, that’s okay – share the input with Fariba!input with Fariba!

Invite us to your debriefings! Invite us to your debriefings! Come visit our office or invite us to Come visit our office or invite us to

yours!yours! We’re here to help!We’re here to help!

Thank you for your attention!