Communication: Efficiency versus Effectiveness

 

Do we rely too much on text and email for communication these days?  I think so. And this reliance will only grow.  

Recently I was contacted about speaking at an online event. During some back and forth, the booker requested a list of topics and their duration and she’d let me know if there was a fit.  I was happy to provide such a list but also requested time to talk. Occasionally when I’m asked to speak to a group it’s simply because a booker needs some content, almost any content. But usually, a presentation helps a group make some progress on a problem or issue they’re working to solve, or assists the group with skill development.  If I am able to understand the problems or issues they’re dealing with, a little tweaking of material, and perhaps a little research, increases the impact of a presentation.  

This recent request reinforced for me the seeming efficiency of e-mail and text, but the opportunities missed when we don’t speak with the human. Email communication lacks the subtlety and intimacy of voice, or in-person, communication.  Perhaps the digital products will evolve, but at this point they fail in this measure.

I speak generally on communication skills, leadership skills, and sometimes on sales and marketing topics. In this interaction the booker looked at my descriptions and thought the topics were too general for her group. However, during our conversation I asked what challenges the group was working on. She said they’re having some issues with teams working within silos, and there has been some distrust and subtle conflict amongst leaders of teams that need to work well together. (I wrote about perceived conflict here Perceived Conflict)

I indicated that I do sometimes speak about one-on-one conflict, perceived conflict, and team dynamics and achievement, and this would likely fit well with her needs. We talked further and decided there is a fit.

Is E-mail Inefficient?

My purpose in sharing this experience is to show an incident where electronic back-and-forth was insufficient in understanding a mutual opportunity. Our e-mails didn’t enable me to understand the issues the group was managing, or the booker to understand the value available with a presentation. E-mail is often a good choice, but not always.

Back in 2015, I shared lunch with Jim Clemmer, a leadership expert based in the Greater Toronto Area. Earlier that day, I had presented Jim with a leadership award and recognition from Toastmasters International.  Over lunch we discussed the gap between digital communication and verbal communication. He later wrote about the topic and he included a helpful table. I particularly liked how he highlighted where inspiration, courageous conversations, and personal connection occurs.  You don’t need to see the table to know which column these benefits are in, but regardless, here is a link to his post https://www.clemmergroup.com/blog/2015/11/19/communication-confusion-balancing-electronic-and-human-connections/

A Tree Falls In The Forest

It seems to me that as humans we don’t often consider which is the best medium for delivering a message, and email provides a very fast, convenient option to just get it done and delivered. Too often our priority is efficiency of distribution, and we don’t consider the effectiveness of message receipt.

If the message isn’t received and understood, then communication has not taken place. A tree fell in a forest.