Talking with the ‘rents tonite. They were lamenting in typical old-school fashion how today’s society lacks any sort of personal communication. Every time they have a problem, they call tech support and get a phone menu without a real person. The computers are made to sound like people, but they clearly are not. The problem is not limited to the technophobic elderly.In our ensuing conversation, it was noted that the art of human-to-human communication is suffering mightily. People seem to be more comfortable hiding behind email and phone messages than they are speaking to a real person — especially face-to-face. And so much of communication can be enhanced with elements that cannot be replicated in our impersonal technology age. We’re losing vital elements of communication simply because there are less ways to communicate from a distance.It’s a shame that when people are given the opportunity to communicate clearly in person they often revert to behavior that is more appropriate for an electronic medium. All too often, presentations are given in a way that is not differentiable from an impersonal delivery method. They lack any emotion, motion, delivery punch, or emphasis. These are things that make communication lifeless, and it really should never be (even electronically!). When an extra element of information (channel?) can be used, it should be. Don’t have the chance to speak in person and give a lifeless, monotone, motionless, drab, gesture-less lecture. Liven things up. Make it personal. Move around. Change your voice. Make an expression. Do SOMETHING that gives you a human feel, and connect to that audience. You can save the mumbling for your next phone conversation, and lifeless emotion for your next email 🙂
Make sure you use all the available elements of expression to connect and influence your audience.
