The power of constructive communication.

Many of us might agree with humorist and songwriter Tom Lehrer who said "I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up."

Sometimes, that might be the best course of action. But Lehrer's statement also makes a not-so-subtle point that communication is two-way exercise that, if practiced successfully, requires understanding by all parties.

Effective relationships in franchising begin with successful communication. If you take a close look at relationship issues between franchisors and franchisees that have become contentious, you'll almost always be able to trace those disagreements back to the transparency of the decision-making process and the manner of communicating decisions.

Communicating might be a lot less complex if we all adopted an expression that is widely used by those in the armed forces. The term "hooah" is generally accepted to mean "heard, understood and acknowledged," leaving no doubt that the message was received and accepted.

But in today's rapidly-shrinking global community where information travels almost faster than it can be heard, understood or acknowledged, we must face the reality that the pace of communications, spurred by technological change that is virtually instant, will continue to gain speed, but not necessarily gain efficiency. That might frighten some who fear change, but as we all know, today's business systems that have tied their growth and development to new technologies are gaining an edge over their competitors.

Franchising's challenge is to harness the technological advantage while, at the same time, not allowing it to hinder human communication. Currently, there is no more efficient way for a franchise system to exchange information than by e-mail. But more often than not, an e-mail, while conveying words, distorts the intended message simply because it is void of human traits such as facial expressions, tone of speech and body language.

As you read the articles in this issue of Franchising World, pay special attention those that describe how their franchise systems grew and developed once they realized that electronic communication was no substitute for good, old-fashioned face-to-face communication between themselves and their franchisees.

And it's not just technology that gets in the way of what we say and how we say it, either. Languages, different cultures, generational gaps and personal lifestyles must all be taken into consideration.

One of the most succinct messages about the importance of clear communication I have ever heard was delivered recently during a meeting in Washington, D.C. Invited by IFA-member The UPS Stores, I attended a dinner at which Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, addressed the U.S.--ASEAN Business Council about the challenges and opportunities of engaging a "new" Asia. Also attending were representatives of ExxonMobil Corporation.

"I am confident that Americans can rise up to the challenge and opportunities in Asia," the prime minister said. "We applaud your commitment to greater economic and security cooperation in the region. America has always been a powerful beacon, inspiring the world with the idea of the equal dignity and worth of humanity, and the promise of a peaceful and benevolent power. America must continue to be a beacon of hope for the world, and for all of us in Asia. Together, we can build a better world, and share the promise of prosperity of a new Asia."

Although he spoke about extremely sensitive topics ranging from economic engagement to the war on terrorism, the overriding message that no one could miss was that all nations must continue to communicate in this ever-evolving world and do so effectively. This, he emphasized, does not require all to agree on a position, but to express differing perspectives in a constructive manner.

Heeding that message will be of great benefit the franchising community. Franchisors and franchisees don't have to agree on everything as long as they engage in constructive communication while seeking solutions.