Language and Trust in Public Engagement

Plain Language has no political color. It's a tool that serves everyone—regardless of party affiliation or ideology. When government agencies, organizations, and businesses communicate clearly, they build trust across the political spectrum. Plain language removes barriers that prevent people from understanding their rights, fulfilling their obligations, and participating in civic life. In the private sector, plain language builds customer loyalty, streamlines operations, and prevents misunderstandings that lead to disputes. Clear communication benefits: • Conservatives who want efficient, accountable government • Progressives who advocate for accessible public services • Independents who want transparency in decision-making • All citizens and consumers who deserve to understand information that affect their lives Whether you're explaining tax forms, healthcare options, voting procedures, or instructions for use, plain language ensures that both majority and minority voices can engage meaningfully in democracy and in life. Gobbledygook excludes rather than informs. It allows bad actors to hide harmful terms and pedants to mask their ignorance. Plain language fosters trust, transparency, and accountability. Good governance and good business require informed participants. Plain language is how we get there—together.

When government speaks, trust is either built or broken. And sometimes, it’s broken in just three words and an emoji. That’s exactly what happened last week—and Ghana Twitter was in uproar. Under a video advertising the home service delivery of IV transfusion, the official account of the Food and Drugs Authority, the nation’s regulatory authority, had responded: “STOP BLEACHING PLEASE!!!! 🤦🏽♀️” On one hand, the concern is valid. Skin-bleaching drips are unsafe and unapproved. But on the other hand—this wasn’t a personal page. This was the official voice of the State. And when the State speaks like this, three things happen: 1. Credibility weakens - Sarcasm replaces authority. 2. Public trust erodes - Citizens question if they can take government communication seriously. 3. A bad precedent is set - suggesting emotion and improvisation are acceptable substitutes for structured, responsible messaging. What should have happened instead? A factual, calm, and clear statement: “IV drips for skin bleaching are not FDA-approved. They pose serious health risks, including organ damage. The public is advised to avoid such procedures.” See the difference? One alienates, the other educates. One is reactive, the other protects credibility. The uproar was justified. And it reveals something bigger: governance communication in Ghana needs structure. Tone guides. Training. Internal checks. And yes, consequences when standards are breached. Because government communication isn’t casual content—it is the representation of state authority. When institutions speak, they shape how citizens see them — and ultimately, how citizens trust them. Structure is not optional. It’s the bedrock of credibility. Citizens deserve clarity. Institutions need discipline. And government communicators must remember: every post is policy in public view. #governancecommunication #civicengagement #ghanapolitics #publictrust

With the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion now announced by the Australian Government, I’ve been reflecting on what I've learned through the work we’ve done at Ethnolink on past Royal Commissions. In particular, I’ve been thinking about what genuinely works when it comes to engaging multicultural communities. A few lessons continue to stand out for me. 1️⃣ First, accessibility is critical.  Public submissions need to be easy to access for people from a wide range of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. That means offering translated instructions in a wide range of languages, as well as a variety of formats. Written submissions alone often exclude people, whereas audio and video options create far more inclusive opportunities to participate. 2️⃣Second, awareness needs to be built through the channels communities already use and trust. Multicultural communities are far more likely to engage when information is shared through trusted ethnic media, community organisations, and established grassroots networks. Clear explanations of what the Royal Commission is about, why it exists, and how people can contribute make a real difference to participation. 3️⃣Third, engagement does not end when submissions close.  Communities want to understand what was heard and how their input influenced the outcomes. Communicating findings back in clear summary formats and translating them into multiple languages, helps close the feedback loop and strengthens trust in the process. What have I missed?  Any thoughts? Drop your ideas in the comments below. 👇 #RoyalCommission #multicultural #engagement #communications #translation

I once saved a multi-million deal by switching languages mid-negotiation. Here's what speaking 6 languages taught me about reading the room and power dynamics. I was on my own and the tension was thick in that Tunis boardroom. Government officials, all men, all skeptical of the young woman pitching renewable energy partnerships. They spoke in French, assuming formality would keep distance. (side note: French is the second official language in Tunisia). Halfway through, I caught two of them whispering in Arabic about "unrealistic Western expectations." That's when I switched. Not to Arabic, that would seem too confrontational, but to a mix of French peppered with Tunisian dialect. Suddenly, shoulders relaxed. Coffee appeared. We weren't adversaries anymore; we were neighbors solving a problem. The €2M deal closed three weeks later. Here's what a decade of international negotiations taught me about language as strategy: Language is identity, trust, belonging, not just a pattern of words. When you speak someone's mother tongue, you're not translating, you're saying "I see you." The real conversation happens in the margins. Side comments, nervous laughter, the jokes that "don't translate", that's where truth lives, in the unspoken. Your accent tells them who you are before you say what you do. I learned to lean into mine. My Tunisian-Italian-American blend became my signature. I've closed deals with broken Portuguese and won partnerships with kindergarten-level German. Connection beats perfection every time. These days, I help founders navigate international scale, not just the language barriers, but the invisible cultural currents that actually determine success. The question isn't whether you speak their language. It's whether you're listening closely enough to know when to switch. Have you ever caught a side conversation that changed everything? — 👋 I'm Monia, and I help Series A/B founders build across borders without burning out. 🔔 Follow Monia 🌍 ✈️ to close deals across borders.

The Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry into Community Consultation Practices provides a detailed look at how government agencies, local councils and essential service providers engage with communities across the state. Reading through it, one thing is obvious. We talk a lot about engagement in this state, but we still design processes that leave too many people out. For multicultural communities the gaps are even wider. Consultation is often late, rushed, unclear and inaccessible. It is no surprise that people feel unheard. The report confirms what many of us see every day: ❌ Language access is inconsistent. ❌ Information is not always provided in formats people can understand. ❌ Consultation methods rely heavily on digital platforms. ❌ Formal submissions only suit confident English speakers. ❌Communities aren't being told how their contribution will be used. This is not consultation. It is extraction. If we want genuine engagement, we need to treat it as real work. That means non negotiables that respect people’s time and expertise: 💚 Pay people for participating. 💚 Provide multilingual information. 💚 Engage interpreters and translators to facilitate communication. 💚 Partner with trusted organisations. 💚 Create safe spaces where people can speak openly. 💚 Start early, not after decisions are already made. 💚 Be transparent about what is possible and what is not. The report calls for stronger standards and more consistent practice across government. That is welcome, but standards alone will not shift culture. We need a mindset that sees community knowledge as essential, not optional. Multicultural communities carry deep insight into what works and what does not. When we ignore that knowledge, we make poorer decisions and widen inequality. Victoria’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Consultation should reflect that. It should be accessible, multilingual, respectful and properly resourced. Anything less is not engagement. It is a missed opportunity to build a fairer and more connected state.

We say ‘patients’ and ‘beneficiaries’ but what if we said ‘partners’? When I was studying public health, I thought the impact began with interventions. Now I know, it begins with language. Every word we use carries invisible power. It shapes how people see themselves and how systems treat them. Let me explain 👇 1️⃣ “Patients” vs “People” When we call someone a patient, we place them in a system that waits - for care, for help, for permission. But when we call them people, we give them agency - to act, choose, and lead. Words like “non-compliant” quietly blame. Words like “facing barriers” acknowledge context. Same health behavior. Different human story. 2️⃣ “Beneficiaries” vs “Communities” In many programs, we talk about beneficiaries as if help flows in one direction - from experts to the “needy.” But real change happens when we treat communities as co-creators, not recipients. A 2021 World Health Organization framework on community engagement notes that “trust and shared ownership are stronger predictors of success than funding or infrastructure.” Translation? Language builds trust long before programs do. 3️⃣ The Hidden Curriculum of Words Every health poster, webinar, or policy carries a hidden curriculum, how we think of others. If a mother is “illiterate,” she’s seen as lacking. If she’s “navigating health information in her own way,” she’s seen as resilient. Public health isn’t just about reducing disease. It’s about restoring dignity and language is our first tool. The Shift We Need ✅ Replace awareness campaigns with conversation spaces. ✅ Replace target groups with communities we serve. ✅ Replace dissemination with dialogue. Because communication isn’t just transmission, it’s relationship. We don’t just design programs. We design narratives - of trust, belonging, and respect. “Change begins with how we talk about people - not just to them.” What’s one health term you think we should retire or rethink in our everyday work? #publichealth #healthcommunication #behaviourchange #healthequity #research #communityengagement #leadership #languagematters

If you want to do business in #Africa, don’t just learn the rules—learn the rhythm. 🎶💼 One of the first questions foreigners ask when they land in an African country is: “What’s the official language here?” 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇵🇹 But savvy investors, entrepreneurs, and development leaders ask a better question: 👉 “What language do people do business in?” Because those two are rarely the same. 📍 In #Kinshasa, you might be handed documents in #French, but step into the interior, and #Lingala or #Swahili run the deal. 📍 In #Dakar, French governs the banks, but #Wolof owns the streets. 📍 In #Nairobi, boardrooms use English—but business connects through #Swahili. Colonial languages continue to influence official policy, legal systems, and education. But business thrives where cultural trust and linguistic accessibility meet. 🔁 Look at #Rwanda—once Francophone, it pivoted to English, realigning with East African neighbours and signalling a new era of global competitiveness. 🇪🇹 In #Ethiopia, #Amharic roots the culture, but English now drives #startups and global #partnerships. ⚠️ Meanwhile, #Cameroon, officially bilingual, still grapples with linguistic marginalisation that continues to hold back its full potential. And then there’s #Tanzania. A true outlier. Here, #Swahili dominates both formal and informal markets. One of the few places where a local language outpaces colonial tongues in commerce. That’s not just unique—that’s powerful. So if you’re looking to scale, invest, or partner in Africa, remember: 🌍 Languages aren’t just tools—they’re signals. They show whether you're here to extract—or to engage. 💬 Business runs on trust. And trust often speaks in mother tongues. Are you fluent in the markets you’re trying to enter—or just translating your pitch? #BusinessInAfrica #Localization #AfCFTA #PanAfricanTrade #CrossCulturalCommunication #SustainableBusiness #InclusiveDevelopment #ImpactInvesting #LanguageMatters #AfricaRising #fyp #hks #hbs #cemac #BEAC # @UN @WorldBankAfrica @AfDB_Group @TonyElumeluFDN @AfricanUnion @InvestAfrica @LinkedInForBusiness @McKinsey @WEF

Healthy cultures are not built with posters. They are built with everyday language. The phrases people hear most shape how people behave. Often without anyone noticing. In strong teams, certain words repeat. Not because they are written down. But because they are safe to say. “Run with it” signals trust, not abandonment. “That is on me” makes accountability visible. “Say it straight” removes politics early. “We will fix this” keeps problems on the table. “I appreciate you” tells people their effort matters. “I have your back” changes how risk feels. “Let us work it out” slows conflict before it hardens. “What do you think?” invites thinking, not compliance. “Your thinking matters” keeps contribution alive. “I trust your judgement” is where autonomy begins. None of these phrases are complicated. But they are revealing. If you do not hear them, people adapt. They hedge. They wait. They protect themselves. And once that happens, no culture deck will fix it. Try this over the next week: ↳ Listen to language under pressure ↳ Notice what gets said after mistakes ↳ Watch how disagreement is handled ↳ Pay attention to what gets thanked ↳ Ask yourself what people have stopped saying Culture is not what leaders announce. It is what people feel safe to say out loud. ♻️ Repost if this changes how you think about the language you use as a leader. 🔔 Follow Richard Goold for practical insights on building cultures where trust and performance both thrive.

Is it time to stop using the term stakeholder? The term stakeholder has become ubiquitous in research and engagement, but is it time to rethink its use? In a recent paper, "Reimagining the language of engagement in a post-stakeholder world" Mark Reed and colleagues, argue that the term can perpetuate inequities, mask power imbalances, and reinforce colonial systems. The words we choose matter—they shape perceptions, relationships, and outcomes. These points really stuck me from the paper: 👉 Language shapes relationships For research to foster public trust, it must be inclusive, accessible, and fundamentally relational. The term "stakeholder" often falls short of these ideals. 👉 Focus on power dynamics Reflecting on power dynamics is vital to academic research. Using "stakeholder" risks masking inequalities and reinforcing harmful systems. Instead, prioritise principles like humility and inclusion, alongside transparent and equitable processes. 👉 Embed a social justice lens Ethical engagement must actively challenge inequities. This includes empowering minoritised groups in shaping decisions and processes that affect their lives. 👉 Shift the culture, not just the terminology Lasting change comes from building ethical, inclusive, and collaborative research cultures. Language is just the starting point—it requires openness, reflection, and willingness to challenge privilege. 👉 Honour historical and cultural identities Understanding the cultural heritage of those you work with enhances meaningful engagement. Nuance matters—be sensitive to how identity and context shape perspectives. 👉 Let people define themselves Enable those involved to choose how they are described. Where that’s not possible, use precise, respectful terms that reflect the diversity within groups. By moving beyond stakeholder, we can foster engagement practices that are truly inclusive and transformative. #InclusiveEngagement #DecolonisingResearch #LanguageMatters #SocialJustice #ResearchCulture #EthicalResearch 

My public health opportunities didn’t come from academic excellence only. They came from communication. →Letters from organizations for collaboration. →Invitations to speak on public health issues. →Educational videos explaining health topics. And none of these happened because I sounded technical. They happened because people understood me. Healthcare professionals are trained to speak accurately but communities respond to clarity, not complexity. Patients don’t live inside medical textbooks. They listen when health education feels like a conversation, not a lecture. The moment I started explaining health the way I would speak to one person sitting across from me, everything changed. ↳ Trust increased. ↳ Impact increased. ↳ Engagement increased. Public health is not only about knowledge. It is about translation too. Many early-career professionals underestimate how powerful this skill is until they see others advancing faster with the same qualifications. Sometimes the difference isn’t intelligence. It’s communication.