Want to Communicate Better? Do it Verbally!

Boy is it easy to communicate with people today. Email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn are the most popular. These channels allow you to type your thoughts down and blast away to anyone you want. I think these are very dangerous in building true relationships with individuals and good old verbal communication still should rein king of communicating.

 

Here is why:

1. Written communication does not allow immediate feedback or resolve. If your message is unclear or puts someone on the defense, the lag in response could result in confusion or negativity very quickly. A verbal communication gets immediate response.

2. Written communication does not show emotion. How can someone possibly understand your passion or feelings about something in a written communication? Please disagree that explanation points and smiley faces can do this so I may respond to it with the same….

3. Written communication breeds false confidence. I see this most often, when people are not in front of someone else, they feel extra confidence in what they are saying. If the communication feels confrontational, this becomes very dangerous.

While I agree that these written channels of communication are cheaper and speed up contact, they can be hurt the interaction.

I often here from my team, “They are not getting back to me”, “I don’t understand this email”, “What do you think they mean.”

My answer….”Pick up the phone and ask”.