Methods

The use and understanding of proactive communication methods help earn and maintain trust among target audiences. Simple things such as committing to sharing accurate and verifiable information can be a straightforward and effective response to meeting communication challenges, although this process does require regular evaluation to determine its effect.

Every organization needs ways to communicate both internally with employees and externally with the public. Effective internal communication can help build teams that clearly understand the different yet equally important roles of the diverse professionals within an organization. Effective external communication can successfully represent the opinions and expertise of the organization to broad audiences and help gain and maintain trust.

The Communicator’s Toolbox does not present specific responses to the particular challenges related to these activities; rather it offers general ideas and procedures that nuclear communicators can then adapt for particular situations. More specific tools for doing this are presented elsewhere in the Toolbox.

Successful communication relies on establishing and maintaining good relations, including both within an organization and with external stakeholders such as journalists, policy makers, and civil society. A communicator’s role is to inform the public and other stakeholders about the risks and benefits of an organization’s activities and to respond to demands for information from them.

The methods described here cannot offer quick answers to these demands, as a nuclear communicator’s task is inevitably labour intensive, requiring active listening as well as responsibility when delivering information. However, it is an essential investment for any organization as good communication is important when engaging stakeholders, with whom dialogue is an essential part of any nuclear programme.