Respectful Communication In A Modern, Technological World

Communication challenges impact organizational objectives, individual and team performance and employee morale every day. Collaborative Communication is even more important today given the following current realities:

- Technology tools and services have revealed and demonstrated a new workplace truth, it is nearly impossible to complete the simplest job duty or responsibility without relying on the assistance or support of others.

- With the new global economy it is more clear now then ever that organizations need to innovate and transform. Many leaders within organizations realize they must foster collaborative cultures in order to make the changes that are required to grow within the global economy.

- Communities are increasingly diverse, and so are our schools and workforce. This growing diversity creates multiple language and cross cultural sensitivity issues that organizations need to be more aware of in order to apply the necessary resources for understanding and collaboration.

- Although a large brain drain is expected due to the graying of the baby boom generation, experts predict that this population group will continue to work beyond the traditional retirement age, creating several different generations in the workplace at the same time.

- Using the subtle and not so subtle nuisances of our communication tools, from email, text messaging and instant messaging to cell phones and blog websites, rather than talking with a colleague directly we de-personalize the organic part of our human exchange.

- There are technology experts who believe that YouTube.com is new medium for communication, providing a new level of connectivity that supports meaningful exchange containing human emotions yet providing a barrier to heartfelt intimacy exchange.

What can we do? Remember.

Remember we are organic creatures and humans need fresh air. Fresh air for communication means time to process, reflect and form meaningful connections with people. Technology today promotes productivity, yet it fosters anonymity. Anonymity can produce dehumanizing effects on peoples interactions.

The dark-side of our technology is that it can promote reactionary choices, rather than choices based on reflective values. It is too easy to become survival oriented when we have no known identity. And in turn it gives us the easy opportunity to deprive one another of positive human choices based on authentic values.

Remember to:
- Look at one another when talking
- Listen with your eyes as well as your ears and give others your full attention to the speaker
- Engage in a dialogue by hearing the human voice, give affirmations or acknowledgements that you hear and have understood the speaker
- Respect the natural differences of people, this may include: differing stages of career experience, various educational experiences, diverse interests, competencies, cultural backgrounds and many others.

Sometimes it simply comes down to tucking in our technology, putting them on sleep mode, and deciding to be fully present and conscious. And yes, this means shutting off your blackberry or other handheld devices in order to avoid the dreaded Techno-Pavlovian response impulse!