Today there are so many forms of communication - verbal (face-face or phone), email, instant messenger, snail mail, blogs, ... (although I'm yet to and maybe never will 'tweet' - sure to be a future posting topic here).
So now I'm going to ask you to choose just ONE. If you could only use one form of communication as a leader, what would it be, and more importantly, why??
I know this is extremely hypothetical, but I also hope to see it yield some interesting and insightful dialog.
I'll wait for a few people to respond before adding my own thoughts on this one.
Comment away!
Face to face - without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I'll go further and say face-to-face and one-on-one.
Face to face in a group - as powerful as it is - is still not as effect as a quiet one-on-one conversation.
Plus with one-on-one I can draw, whisper, touch, joke, conspire, punch, hug and really listen to the other person.
There's no other communication tool quite like it.
The trouble is - for people that write well - the temptation is to do everything through email. But you can't underestimate the personal touch.
Literally.
--Phil
No question - verbal, preferably face to face.
ReplyDeleteIt is the only method that allows for immediate interpretation of the recipient's response. Written communication, particularly email, seems to be misinterpreted and taken as negative quite a bit of the time.
In order to clearly express expectations, provide feedback and direction, it would have to be face to face or at least verbal.
The other methods have a place, especially with large groups, but if only one method was allowed, it would have to be verbal to have the most impact.
Vebal certainly has the vote for immediacy. There is nothing quite like a personal, face-to-face conversation to be clear about intentions and desires. Even worlds away (Niel Armstrong), verbal communication has the ability to excite and engage.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it would be shortsighted to leave out the written word given the tremendous presence it had and continues to have in the world every day. Spoken, the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution of the United States, would arguably have had far less impact on the world.
Then we come to the Bible, a well written collection of some of the most life impacting writing available. But then, it is a record of stories passed along verbally (with a few letters thrown in) written to effectively preserve the spoken word throughout time.
Ah... never the easy question is it? I'll have to excuse myself from the immediacy, enter into the historical, and opt for the written word so people can have a clear record of exactly what was "said".
Thanks all. Good dialog, especially Mark L's spirited defense of the written word.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I've gotta stick with verbal, but with a twist - phone. So much more comes through on verbal than any other mechanism. You get TWO-WAY communications. You can get feedback, clarification, and buy-in/commitment all in the same conversation. I've gotta go phone rather than pure verbal, because logistically you can't get to everyone wherever they are.
So, now how do you put together a verbal blog...? ;)
I wish I didn't have to chose one, honestly. I absolutely love keeping in touch every way possible. Face to face, email, snail mail, IM, cell phone, blackberry messenger, Morse code, smoke signals? Let's face it, I love communicating!
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, if I had to chose only one way to communicate, it would have to be be voice, face to face or via phone.
I agree with the other comments above regarding the written word - being one who yet maintains several written correspondences even with the world's hyper-selective use of e-mail. That said, no matter how practiced or talented a writer might be, tone and intent can easily be lost in the written word, and as such, when it comes to leadership, the extra capacity to influence and guide with our voices and often body language, can be absolutely critical.
Imagine having to coach someone on bad behaviors via email or text message.
John. Stop.
Bad choice of words at meeting. Stop.
Need to improve communication stills. Stop.
Send me action plan today. Stop.
Ok, so it's not that bad but you get the picture... Yes, before anyone jumps in and tells me such things can be wordsmith-ed to have a positive and impactful outcome, I will preempt the argument and agree. The point is that some things should always be done voice if there is an option to do so.
My two cents, even if a bit late.