In professional communication, especially in government and corporate settings, there are foundational concepts every communicator must understand and safeguard: identity, image, and reputation.
Groupthink: When Smart People Unite to Make Dumb Decisions
Janis outlined eight symptoms of groupthink, divided into three categories. The first two arise from overconfidence in the group’s power.
Why It Is Important to Watch What You Watch
That TV series, YouTube channel, or social media personality could very well be the source of what your friends are now describing as a change in your behavior.
Nzuu and Climate Change
Let me introduce you to the subject of food security and climate change. At the heart of it is something called Nzuu. The botanical name is peas. Anyone who has been in Ukambani during the May–August season will agree that […]
Why do people get into the spiral of silence?
Why do some skilled professionals drive several miles to attend a meeting only to utter one phrase when cornered into speaking, “Nothing from my side”?
Understanding Yourself and Others Better
In my early journey of self-awareness, one of the hardest pieces of feedback I ever received was about my sense of humor specifically, my use of coarse jokes. I’ve always found myself entertaining people, even from a young age. Later, […]
When Your Image Is Tainted
We all want to look good. We are constantly making efforts to ensure that people perceive us in a certain way. Occasionally, we find ourselves in situations that damage our image or at least, make us appear differently than we […]
Leave the Internet—if you can
If you’re like me, you probably don’t enjoy the hassle of resetting passwords. Sometimes you try logging into platforms where you created an account before the struggle and portioning of Africa, only to realize you’ve forgotten the password. The system […]
Inoculation Theory
Inoculation theory has a wide range of practical applications, particularly in communication campaigns that aim to safeguard public beliefs or behaviors against misinformation, apathy, or stigma. Below are some key areas where the theory has been successfully applied:
When your behaviour disagrees with your belief system
We all reach a point where what we believe gets challenged, or our behavior drifts from what we believe in. For example, before a general election, someone might deeply admire one candidate and intensely dislike another. They’ll sing praises about […]