Why Project Managers Should Communicate with FINESSE
- JD Solomon
- Aug 29
- 3 min read
Good communication makes or breaks a project. As a project manager, you’re juggling timelines, tasks, people, and expectations. How you share information matters as much as what you share. The FINESSE Fishbone Diagram is a proven, practical approach that helps you communicate clearly, especially when things get complex. Here’s why project managers use the FINESSE approach and the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram.
1. FINESSE Gives You a Clear Roadmap
FINESSE is a helpful guide. It stands for Frame, Illustrate, Noise-reduction, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics. Think of it as pieces of a fishbone (the bones) diagram that help you lay out your message step by step [Re-Introducing Communicating with FINESSE on Accendo Reliability - Accendo Reliability]. FINESSE keeps your communication sharp and purposeful.
2. Helps You Navigate Complex Projects
Projects are messy. Complexity, risk, and uncertainty are inherent aspects of the process. The FINESSE Fishbone Diagram offers a cause-and-effect approach. It has been proven that applying the seven aspects guarantees effective communication.
3. It’s Practical, Not Just Theory
The FINESSE Fishbone Diagram is based on work by technical and project managers who deliver complex projects. After nearly a decade of case work, the results were analyzed and validated to establish the seven “bones” and their cause-and-effect relationship with effective communication.
Doing each of the seven bones of FINESSE will create effective communication.
4. Supporting Material Built for Busy Professionals
The Facilitating with FINESSE website offers two affordable checklists applicable to every presentation. There are also options for quick third-party presentation reviews and half-day training sessions. Two practical books written for busy professionals are available.
For example, Facilitating with FINESSE spends minimal time on basics (there’s only a short chapter on general facilitation) and instead focuses on the situations project managers face every day [How JD Solomon’s Newest Book, Facilitating with FINESSE, Is Different from Other Facilitation Books | by JD Solomon | Medium]. The book is organized so you can skip to whatever you need to know.
5. Reducing Noise Is A Must for Project Managers
Noise is anything that distracts or distorts your message. The FINESSE Fishbone Diagram helps project managers avoid issues such as unclear updates, overloaded dashboards, and sharing inconsistent data [Reducing Noise in Project Management Communication | by JD Solomon | Medium].
6. FINESSE Builds Trust and Project Success
Projects depend on trust. When communication is structured, clear, and honest, your team and your stakeholders feel confident in what’s happening. FINESSE encourages ethics and empathy at every stage. As a project manager, you’re guiding people toward shared decisions, not just simply managing tasks [Three Things Project Managers Should Know When Communicating with the Boss|Substack].
7. Supports Your Growth as a Leader
The FINESSE approach is designed for technically trained professionals who want to enhance their communication and facilitation skills. Whether you’re presenting to senior leaders or steering a team debate, FINESSE helps you become the trusted advisor people rely on [How FINESSE Improves the Careers of Project Managers|Substack].
8. You Don’t Have to Be The Most Articulate or Attractive
The power of systems thinking and the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram is the cause-and-effect relationships between the inputs (the bones of FINESSE) and the output (effective communication). You can be a great project manager without having to be the most articulate or the most attractive person. Technical professionals can be good at their work and highly valued as communicators of complex information.
Eight Reasons Project Managers Need FINESSE
Using the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram is a proven and practical way to manage complex projects involving multiple stakeholders. The FINESSE approach provides a clear path, the book showcases real-world applications, and the noise-reduction tips keep your message focused. Above all, you build trust, lead with clarity, and make the challenging aspects of projects run more smoothly. That's why every project manager should communicate with FINESSE.
JD Solomon Inc. provides solutions for program development, asset management, and facilitation at the nexus of facilities, infrastructure, and the environment. Visit our Program Development page for more information on business cases, third-party assessments, phasing projects, and related services.
Communicating with FINESSE is the not-for-profit community of technical professionals dedicated to being highly effective communicators and facilitators. Visit the Tackle Shop for communication and facilitation resources.
Comments