How FINESSE Improves the Careers of Project Managers
FINESSE stands for Frame, Illustrate, Noise Reduction, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics and provides the cause-and-effect relationships for effective communication.
Effective communication is critical for project managers because they connect with decision makers and coordinate teams, stakeholders, and resources to achieve project goals. Strong communication skills impact project success and also contribute to long-term career growth. FINESSE facilitates effective communication through seven causal factors: Frame, Illustrate, Noise, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics.
The FINESSE Fishbone Diagram
A visual helps us remember the basic aspects of effective communication. The fishbone diagram was an obvious choice since it is a common tool for depicting cause-and-effect relationships among technical professionals.
The underlying issue with effective communication for technical professionals is complexity and uncertainty.
Major decisions that take months to resolve, require a significant amount of investment, and involve many people (and some calculations) are complex and uncertain. Directing, giving orders, and providing statuses on normal operating issues do not necessarily require a lot of finesse. I learned a lot about the difference by sailing on the ocean.
If the underlying issue is complexity and uncertainty (the fishbone’s tail), then the effect we seek is effective communication (the fishbone head). The solutions (or the root causes) are in the bones of FINESSE.
How FINESSE Benefits Project Managers
This is a brief description of each bone of the FINESSE Fishbone diagram.
Frame
Frame is all about “a problem well-framed is a problem half solved.” Decision makers like to change the frame when they don’t get what they want, so framing also involves tying down the frame. Most projects go awry, or not as planned, when the project frame breaks down.
In project management, we usually charter projects to make sure they are framed well. Chartering involves defining the project's objectives, scope, stakeholders, and key deliverables and assigning authority to the project manager.
For project managers, the Frame in FINESSE is already established through chartering.
Illustrate
Illustrate is one of the more meaningful bones in FINESSE for project managers, making communication more effective.
Most project managers provide too many graphs and tables that are not useful to decision makers. Decision makers need to know what time it is, not how the watch is made.
Illustrate is about the many visuals available to make us more or less effective. There are a handful of essential graphics and a handful of troublesome (but common) ones.
For project managers, focusing on the six essential visuals withing the Illustrate bone of the FINESSE fishbone diagram is very helpful.
Noise
Noise is concerned about noise reduction. Noise is anything that distracts or confuses your audience, getting in the way of your message. The burden of effective communication is on the sender, not the receiver.
Three simple rules for reducing noise within the FINESSE Fishbone diagram are:
Be consistent.
Avoid “fixing” the data.
Use “smoothing” wisely.
For project managers, the detailed focus on reducing noise is beneficial in producing effective communication. One person's data is another person's noise, so noise reduction is truly a causal factor in making sure what you are saying is understood.
Empathy
Empathy is being able to put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker. The FINESSE chain is only as strong as the weakest link, and the empathy link is a big one. Empathy is also the start of the bottom fin of FINESSE, which focuses on the audience.
Empathy has an added layer of complexity when dealing with decision makers. Decision makers usually make multiple high-stakes decisions simultaneously, under pressure, and with lots of uncertainty. Keep these points in mind to empathetically communicate with them.
The techniques for empathizing with decision makers are important, but so is focusing on being ready for empathy. After all, the burden of effective communication is on you (the project manager), not the message receiver.
Take time to reflect on these questions:
How are you feeling right now, and how might that influence your response?
What emotions might the other person be experiencing?
What’s the ultimate goal of this interaction?
Remembering these will help project managers stay calm, focused, and intentional. Empathy is about making the other person feel seen and heard, so keeping your emotions in check is crucial.
Structure
Structure usually consists of an opening, the main body, and a close. The trick is that decision makers may only pay attention to the first act (the opening).
What’s more, decision makers care most about the opening and closing (Q&A). They care little about the main body because that’s the part they trust you as the project manager to do best.
Unfortunately, many project managers are most interested in sharing the details of the main body.
It is important for project managers to have the structure and discipline to use a three-act or five-act structure in every presentation they deliver. The Structure bone in the FINESSE fishbone diagram helps you to do that.
Synergy
Synergy recognizes that decisions with complexity and uncertainty move through an inner circle of advisors and require multiple presentations. Group effects can hurt you or help you.
For project managers, the second S in FINESSE provides the techniques and tools to get through the many gatekeepers of every project. The FINESSE Checklist also provides a nice way to make sure you have Synergy covered on both the front and back end of your communication.
Ethics
Ethics are the way we make decisions. Ethics are the tail fin of FINESSE, and just like a fish, our ethics provide the direction to our communication.
For project managers, the challenge is often telling the bad news to a group that you know will not receive it well. Duty-based ethics are at the core of FINESSE. Once again, the techniques and tools provided within the Ethics bone will help you communicate fairly and consistently regardless of the audience. You get one shot at credibility.
Powering Your Career as a Project Manager with FINESSE
Strong communication skills impact project success and contribute to long-term career growth for project managers. FINESSE facilitates effective communication through seven causal factors: Frame, Illustrate, Noise, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics. Visit our Tackle Shop for communication and facilitation resources, including the FINESSE Checklist.
Weekly Communication Tip
The Power of Using a Well-Timed Pause
A pause can create anticipation, emphasize a point, or let something profound sink in. And just like any good performer, you need to adjust the timing to fit your audience.
So next time you're presenting, remember: a well-timed pause isn’t a break in your presentation—it’s part of your message. Use it wisely, and your audience will thank you.
See more at the link in the title.
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