Communication Is An Art
- Post By: Greg Crumpton
- Date:
- Category: Blog
Communication Is An Art
Have you heard of, or dabbled with, Jelly.co yet?
It’s a very cool app that lets you ask a question of any of the millions of total strangers that happen to be available and are willing to answer.
Weird, but cool.
I experience it as a unique perspective on today’s communication options. The other day I was waiting in my doctor’s office (at 10:40 AM for my 10:15 AM appointment) and opened the Jelly app on my phone. Up came a question that was so easy to answer, but only from a distance… It seemed obvious to me that this particular person was too close to her own question.
The question?
“What should I do for a birthday gift for the person who has everything?”
Man, it hit me like a ton of bricks. My fingers typed, “Pick up the phone and call this person and say, “Happy Birthday, I am thinking about you” or better yet, stop by and see them if they are close by.” No e-mail. No text. No tweet. Just a straight up, old-fashioned voice that says, “I remember you, I care about you.”
Remember the old United Airlines commercial, when the seasoned-looking boss was addressing his team, probably after a poor quarterly earnings report, and said, as he was handing out airline tickets, “Today, I am going to SEE that old friend.” That gentleman, yes I realize he was an actor, had the balance and the instinct to go, not to call, not to write… just go.
Knowing when and how to communicate is an art, but one that can be learned. We all know the obvious and opportune times, that’s easy. The challenging ones are the situations that are delicate; when we’re recovering from a screw-up, when money is involved or any number of things that makes people get a little “tight in the throat”. Having the gumption to go see someone, or at least pick up the phone to actually speak about the problem is really, in my opinion, what will separate you from the herd.
Think about it like this: How would I want this information to be delivered to me if I were the one needing to be communicated with?
E-mail? Text? A facsimile?
I think not.
Your physical being or your unique voice is usually the best option for most situations.
