March 28, 2013 ? ISSN# 1545-2646
Did they get the message
Everyday we are bombarded by many various messages. They arrive in emails, text messages, tweets, posts to social media boards, letters, voicemails and yes face to face conversations. Many of these communication types have evolved into cryptic message delivery systems. Text messages for example have a complete shorthand for conveying details in the content.
All of these simplifications have been targeted on helping to pick up the speed and reducing the number of key strokes to convey the message. It all appears to be for the better until the genuine intent and content of the message is lost by the reader or person being communicated to. The speed and shortcut not only cut down the time for the sender to process the outbound information but just possibly cuts back on the full thought needed to convey the right level of detail to effect a specific result.
Email for example has come a long way and fills a very valuable part of daily communication. It allows for the capturing of thought and the parlaying of such thought to another or group of additional people in a single textual format. You don’t have to wait to gather the group together in a person to person meeting or conference call.
The challenge is that the quality of the architecture and content of this means of communication has over the years continued to degrade. Even with spell checkers and grammar checkers people are more than happy to click on send with a faulty outbound email. I’m personally guilty of having sent some rather poor emails only to subsequently regret the impression they may have left with the receiver.
We live in a fast paced society. Running here and chasing there to cram more and more into a single day. Sometimes our short term hurrying causes extensive added time to accomplish the same task. For example the sending of a poorly crafted email to a colleague who hastily interrupts the shorthand into a deliverable only to find out it was not what the original writer had intended. Now they must retouch everything in the process for at least a second if not third time to undue one thing and create an additional final deliverable.
This does not even factor in the personal hard feelings that now have been set in motion between the two parties and the future second guessing because they don’t know what the other was really trying to accomplish.
This week, take the extra minute of time on the front end of your communication streams – calls, voicemails, text messages, emails etc. and make sure you review and ensure the intent and content are delivering the right message. Maybe ask your colleagues if they find your communication to them to be on target. Take into consideration that each person has a preferred style to be communicated too. Align your communication so you take advantage of each person’s preferences so you can get the greatest return for all parties.
Ever wonder what are your preferred communication styles? Give JKL Associates a call at (313) 527-7945 or send us an email to discuss.
Questions or comments – email us at partners@jklassociates.com or call our Office at (313) 527-7945
Copyright – JKL Associates 2013
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