In today’s technology driven world many of us rely on email, messaging apps and texting to communicate with clients, vendors, media, family, friends. Even my 7 year olds love to text their grandparents. With work, we are lucky to no longer be tethered to an office, or even a specific desk, to communicate (although my FitBit tells me I’m tethered in other ways).
But something is lost in not actually talking. You can spend a lot of time crafting what you think is a detailed, well-articulated email or text – only to have it misunderstood or skimmed by the reader.
Much of the art of communication can be lost in the written word. Picking up the phone has become an anomaly today. But it is amazing how much a quick phone call can clear up confusion, articulate tone and more effectively deliver a message – you have someone’s focused attention.
So, as summer continues to fly by, and when no doubt more people are working remotely and trying to do more with the daylight hours, I vow to pick up the phone more. Let’s not lose one of our best ways to communicate – with our voices – and truly connect.
*Note: A version of this post also appeared in the May 2016 issue of The Spark newsletter.