As a professional communicator, the most concerning issue in 2024 was the apparent decline in Australians ability to engage in nuanced discussions, particularly on difficult or contentious topics. The conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine serve as highly public examples of this challenge.
These are complex geopolitical issues with deeply personal implications. However, our communication habits often fail to reflect this complexity, frequently resorting to binary and hostile rhetoric. This pattern was also evident during the Voice campaign in 2023. Rather than relying on objective facts, showing curiosity about diverse views, or demonstrating a genuine interest in First Nations’ history and perspectives, online dialogue was often simplistic, unconstructive, and driven by algorithms.
Australians have a reputation for being conflict-averse, often avoiding difficult or uncomfortable conversations both in the workplace and in everyday life.
Yet, given the increasingly critical and complex issues facing us nationally and globally, it is unclear how long avoidance can remain a viable strategy. Our success as a nation, particularly as a multicultural one, hinges on social cohesion—a goal that seems increasingly elusive after the past two years.
The underlying reasons for our struggle to converse are not new and are explored in an enlightening discussion titled "Uncivil Society – Polarisation and Breakdown in Our Conversations." This dialogue suggests we falsely believe societal unity depends on substantive agreement and which may deteriorate if disagreements become too pronounced.
One major factor contributing to the communication crisis is our heavy reliance on social media as a platform for discourse. A staggering 78.3% of Australians use social media, a figure that surpasses even other industrialised nations like the US, where the usage rate is 70.1%ⁱ. This widespread use often leads our conversations to be governed by algorithms that reinforce our existing beliefs and opinions, creating isolated echo chambers that hinder exposure to diverse perspectives. Additionally, the presence of bots exacerbates the issue by spreading misinformation and amplifying polarising content.
Addressing this issue is within our capability, but improving our communication and conversational skills will be paramount in driving both business and national success. The communication sector plays a critical role as advisors to political, business, and societal leaders and as experts in effective communication. In 2025, human relationships will be the primary drivers of change.
The critical success factors include:
- Inclusive leadership: leaders must have the courage to accommodate diverse viewpoints and articulate issues cohesively, factually, and objectively.
- Embrace difficult conversations: Too often, we quickly dismiss alternative views as misinformation or discredit those who propose them. The concept of "balanced pragmatism" suggests that multiple perspectives can coexist as truths. This approach advocates for pragmatic steps forward rather than succumbing to binary standoffs.
- Human relationships: intentional efforts to engage with people from various backgrounds and life experiences enriches perspectives and breaks down barriers. The skills to cultivate environments where diverse ideas thrive is one of our greatest leadership challenges.
- Diversifying sources: move beyond echo chambers and algorithms by understanding the origins and agendas behind information and seeking information offline.
- Critical thinking: Remain informed, verify sources, and avoid accepting information at face value.
The challenge for communication professionals will be to have the courage and leadership to influence a better outcome. This means genuinely diversifying our workforces, building relationships with different networks and seeking less obvious information and views. It also means driving cultures that reward intellectual curiosity, critical questioning, deeper thinking and finding harder to reach networks and sources.
The question in 2025 is in our fast paced and urgent working, advertising and communication environment are we willing make that change?
Vanessa Liell, Co-Founder Orizontas & Rethink Everything
[1] We Are Social & Meltwater. (2024). Digital 2024 Global Overview Report. Retrieved March 11, 2024, from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report(open in a new window).