Final answer:
When communicating with stakeholders, it's crucial to ensure that evaluation results are useful, keep communications simple, align evaluation with program efforts, respect cultural and linguistic differences, and use an asset-based approach.
Step-by-step explanation:
Five Guiding Principles for Communicating with Stakeholders
When communicating outcomes, evaluation results, and proposed recommendations with key stakeholders, there are guiding principles to ensure the message is delivered effectively. These principles are informed by lessons learned in various fields such as program evaluation, communication strategy, and stakeholder engagement. Below are five guiding principles one should follow:
- Ensure usefulness of the evaluation results - the information provided must serve a practical purpose for the stakeholders involved.
- Keep it simple and doable - complexity can be a barrier to understanding, so make your evaluation as straightforward as possible.
- Ensure that evaluation efforts are congruent with program efforts - the evaluation should align with the goals and strategies of the program or project.
- Understand and respect your audience’s perspective, accounting for social, cultural, or linguistic factors that could affect how your message is received and interpreted.
- Promote an asset-based approach and engage stakeholders by acknowledging their positive contributions and reinforcing valuable practices.
Effective communication also relies on transparent, open dialogue, recognition of all stakeholder contributions, and the fostering of an environment where every voice can be heard, understood, and valued.