By Kai Carroll – VP, Client Services
Having worked in communications for the majority of my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand how advancements in technology continue to change the landscape of storytelling. We’ve evolved from print to digital and from long-form video to shorts. At every turn, there are pop-ups and flashing signs begging us to get our messages out there – fast! And keep it short!
Within the remote employment space, companies have been able to create vast pools of talent connected under the technological umbrella. Platforms like Teams and Quip provide environments to share ideas with teammates across the room, nationwide or even across the globe. Even though we’ve grown accustomed to our new work lives and how we communicate, what do you do when someone doesn’t fully grasp what you’re trying to convey in your email, Teams chat or text? My advice: go old school ─ pick up the phone!
As a society, we are very comfortable in group video calls, but for some reason, we shy away from one-on-one conversations in the workplace. Don’t let the fear of not documenting an exchange stop you from having meaningful exchanges with your coworkers. Tone is something that can be hard to gauge in the written word. If you see that a conversation is taking a turn or perhaps becoming combative, I always vote for picking up the phone! And if you do need to document your conversation, it doesn’t hurt to send a clear email with all the information someone needs and then connect on the phone to ensure understanding.
It can be surprising how quickly a chat can become a battle over a misunderstanding. Instead of prolonging the situation, choosing to pick up the phone creates an opportunity to get to the heart of the matter. And it doesn’t always need to be on camera. Surprisingly enough, not everyone is comfortable on camera and isn’t always as open as they would be within the safety of camera-off mode. Yes, facial cues can be helpful to some people and in certain situations, but listening is a skill as well. If you are dialed into what someone says ─ not how they look saying it ─ it might take you further in understanding the messenger.
Effective communication takes using all of the resources at your disposal. If you find that a conversation has stalled, create a connection by picking up the phone.