Who’s afraid of the big bad human?
Have you noticed that people don’t talk any more? Perhaps they are phone-a-phobic, or maybe, like most of us, it’s because there are so many modern channels of communication like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Kick, Google+, Skype etcetera which give us the excuse not to talk to each other.
Think about it, when was the last time you phoned someone instead of sending an email, or the last time someone phoned you?
We tell ourselves that we are being efficient, but are we? We’ve all had emails that don’t read right, that don’t convey emotion or perhaps convey the wrong message or the wrong tone. What you type and what someone else reads can be two very different things, which then leads to confusion by the reader and perhaps loses you business or a good relationship that could have led to future success.
In 2016 perhaps we should be thinking more like it’s 1876 (when the first telephone call was made) and pick up the phone, or perhaps take a leaf out of the 17th century when the first coffee shop in the UK was opened and arrange to meet for a coffee.
Talking has a multitude of benefits such as:
• Conveys the right emotion
• Builds trust and empathy
• Allows you to respond to the other parties’ behaviour and body language
• Develops or reinforces relationships new or old
So perhaps before you respond to that email on your smart phone you might want to pause for thought and call the person instead, or meet over a coffee which is always my preferred choice (time allowing of course!). This is surely the smartest way to build relationships for the long term.
