The more we automate information-handling, the more we will have to create opportunities for effective communication.
Pete Drucker in The Effective Executive
Communication doesn’t get more effective with today’s technology. It may get faster, but something gets lost in the process.
The other day, I discovered an email sent in my department was misunderstood. The message was correct, but the context and way it was said came off blunt, rude and made a customer feel like we were bossing him around.
Of course, that wasn’t the intention. But an email doesn’t show body language. The tone of voice can only be interpreted through the words. A please and thank you go a long way in showing politeness and a friendly tone in an email. It may sound overly polite in a conversation, but just right in an email.
The cat in my cartoon is wise to assess the dog’s tone and body language. Unfortunately, we don’t have those advantages in texts and emails. We have emoji’s and our words. And a smiley face in business correspondence may not be quite the professional feel you are going for!
