FINESSE is a fishbone (cause and effect) diagram, a mnemonic, and a mental model. FINESSE stands for Frame, Illustrate, Noise Reduction, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics. The FINESSE fishbone diagram is peer-reviewed and battle-tested. Most importantly, it works.
Systems Thinking
As applied to effective communication, systems thinking is the cornerstone of FINESSE.
A system is a collection of interrelated or interacting parts, each of which can affect the behavior or outcomes of the whole. One defining property of a system is that it provides a function that none of the parts can accomplish by themselves. The corollary is that a system is not the sum of the parts but the product of their interactions.
A communication system is the same as any other system. The good news for technical professionals is that you do not have the best-looking, most eloquent, or smartest person in the room to be an effective communicator. You just need to trust the system.
FINESSE
The following sections summarize each bone in FINESSE. A link is provided for an overarching article, three supporting articles, and a three-minute video.
Frame: “A problem well defined is a problem half solved.”
Your Greatest Fear Will Help You “Communicate with FINESSE”
Frame Strategic Communication with an Influence Diagram
Use Physical and Operational Boundaries to Frame Strategic Communication
Illustrate: “Graphical excellence is a function of substance, statistics, and design.”
Why Tables Are More Effective Than Graphs in Business Communication
Beware of Deception When Using Shapes for Data Visualization
How The Broken Vertical Axis Ruins Your Credibility
Noise: “One person’s data is another person’s noise.”
FINESSE: How to Reduce Noise and Know Your Message Is Clear
FINESSE: Can AI Help Reduce Noise in Business Presentations?
Reduce Noise By Aligning Data with These 5 Meeting Types
Empathy: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
One Question Creates Empathy and Improves Business Presentations
5 Shocking Lessons on Empathy Found at Conference Exhibition Booths
Six Preparation Tips for Empathetic Listening and Effective Presentations
Seven Blockers to Empathetic Listening and Better Presentations
Structure: “Start at the end & work backward.”
Five Presentation Sequences Used by the Best Young Professionals
Structure and Sequence Empower Effective Communication to Senior Management
How to Improve Business Presentations by Practicing without PowerPoint Slides
Synergy: “There are compelling social reasons for group cooperation.”
Three Reasons Group Effects Dominate Team Dynamics
My Three Favorite Group Effects and How to Mitigate Poor Team Dynamics
Storming, Norming, and Performing to Group Synergy
Ethics: “Ethics are the way we make decisions.”
Got Ethics? How to Fact Check and Enable Ethical Communication
Why Do the Ethical Standards of Technical Professionals Matter?
Trustworthy? Trusted Advisors Develop a Default Ethical Framework
How FINESSE Creates Effective Communication to Senior Management
Use the FINESSE fishbone diagram as an approach for the biggest decisions in your career. FINESSE is peer-reviewed and battle-tested. Most importantly, it works.
Communicating with FINESSE is a not-for-profit community of technical professionals dedicated to being highly effective communicators and facilitators. Learn more about our publications, webinars, and workshops. Join the community for free.
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