Tips & Lessons for 2022: the communication fools

Loïs Bégué

In extension of the Three Cs of Communication by @Rose Eliff , which  focus on the "sender" role..

The "Receiver" role in a communication process is at least as important as the "Sender" role. Hence...

Tip:

Whether in an email, voicemail or on conference call, when communicating with others remember:

Listen/Read
Comprehend
Take your time

Nowadays, people do not listen to understand, to learn, to just be informed etc.
They listen to answer, to react, to oppose, to argue etc.

They aren't what they is! (*)
They are what they do!

And that's bad!

 

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(*) you are what you is (https://genius.com/Frank-zappa-you-are-what-you-is-lyrics)

Samie Delebo - Your Gal at Gliffy

There have definitely been times where I've rushed to get an email off my to-do list and missed some data or opportunities along the way, so I really appreciate the reminder to read to comprehend.

I do think there's a bit of a balance, though. As someone who has been professionally ghosted a few times and has deadlines that hinge on an approval or answer, I want people to have time to listen and craft a thoughtful response. But I also am looking for a response in a business day or two.

I totally acknowledge that we don't always have time for that.

If someone sends me a long email that requires that I do some digging and take my time with it, I always try to send a quick response like "Thank you so much for putting all this together. I have a few things I need to focus on before I can dig in — is it okay if I get back to you by [DAY]?"

It's also really helpful when someone explains the reason for any urgency. "I wanted to make sure we could investigate this before our next meeting with the CEO" or explains a lack of urgency, like "nothing on fire — but I'd love to have this in our reporting next month." so that I can better manage my time as an email receiver.