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Blending Clarity and Transparency With Caution

Clarity, transparency and caution...three words to keep in mind when writing a newsletter, memos and letters, meeting minutes or just about any other communication for an organization.

Balancing clarity and transparency with caution is maybe the toughest challenge. Because it's important to communicate clearly. And it's important to be transparent. But caution also plays a role because unfortunate words can cause problems, unfortunately. Words that cause misunderstandings, for example, can do that.

Sometimes it's some seemingly little thing. Some word with a flippant meaning or tone. Something someone didn't really mean to say, but it's out there...and all hell breaks loose.

Blending all three -- clarity, transparency and caution -- may not be easy, but it's very necessary.

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