How do you communicate program development progress and outcomes to senior management?

1 Define your communication goals

Before you start drafting your communication plan, you need to clarify your communication goals. What are the main messages you want to convey to senior management? What are the benefits and value of your program development? How do you measure and report on your performance and impact? How do you address any risks or challenges that may arise? By defining your communication goals, you can tailor your content and format to suit your audience and purpose.

3 Plan your communication schedule

Another key aspect of your communication plan is your communication schedule. How often will you communicate with senior management? When will you communicate with them? What are the milestones and deadlines that you need to communicate? How will you manage any changes or updates to your communication plan? You need to plan your communication schedule in advance and stick to it, unless there are valid reasons to modify it. You also need to balance the frequency and timing of your communication, so that you don't overload or under-communicate with senior management.

4 Prepare your communication content

Once you have your communication goals, methods, and schedule in place, you need to prepare your communication content. This is where you craft your messages and deliverables, using clear and concise language, relevant and reliable data, and compelling and attractive visuals. You need to ensure that your communication content is accurate, consistent, and aligned with your communication goals. You also need to avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that may confuse or alienate senior management. Instead, you need to use simple and familiar words, explain any concepts or terms that may be unfamiliar, and provide examples or analogies that may help senior management understand your program development.

5 Deliver your communication effectively

The final step of your communication plan is to deliver your communication effectively. This is where you execute your communication methods and follow your communication schedule, using appropriate tone, style, and etiquette. You need to ensure that your communication is respectful, professional, and courteous, and that you address any questions or feedback that senior management may have. You also need to monitor and evaluate your communication effectiveness, using feedback mechanisms, surveys, or metrics. You need to use the results of your evaluation to improve your communication plan and adjust your communication goals, methods, schedule, or content as needed.