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This story is part of our October 2021 CoSIDA 360 package, to view more stories,
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Cover Story
Personal Connnections Even More Important in Our Technological Age
by Doug Vance – CoSIDA Executive Director @dvancecosida
Has technology increased opportunities to communicate, but done so at the expense of how we foster personal relationships in the workplace?
I recently read a
syndicated opinion column that examined gaps regarding how we connect in the digital age. It grabbed my attention because it hit on behaviors that are relevant to the communications profession.
The two writers of the article, Julie and David Bulitt, probed the issue of feeling “less connected” in a time when everyone is increasingly reachable. Their proposition was built on the following assertion: “The fact is that the more accessible we are, the less connected we have become.”
Married for 35 years, Julie and David are the co-authors of “The Five Core Conversations for Couples.”
How SIDs reach their targeted audiences and develop working relationships is a critical facet of their jobs. A lifetime ago in the pre-technology age, I relied on three basic communication tools: (1) making an in-person visit; (2) using a land-line telephone that didn’t move off my desk; and (3) composing an announcement by typewriter, or a letter or note by hand and folding it in an envelope for mailing.
Before new media devices and concepts seized control of mass communication, human connection was essential in achieving personal and career success.
Technology, either by computer or phone, has evolved into the primary avenue to interpersonal work connections. A screen and keyboard serve as the gateway tools designed to enhance relationships and deliver information immediately.
I received fewer phone calls at the outset of my career and, as the column suggests, it often meant more when my phone did ring. The conversation held my total attention because it forced a response in the moment and I was restricted in my movement.
Reflecting on the influence of devices that allow us to connect, Julie and David wrote, “Technology is an amazing thing, it really is. The problem, though, is that, while technology has created more conversation and communication, it has come with less focus. Less human interaction. Less connection. And that, folks, is just not a good thing.”
Obviously, we can’t turn back the clock. Nor should we. Today’s SIDs are more skilled, creative and productive than ever before. The job demands a reliance on technology.
The work can be exhausting and force communications professionals to make wise decisions on how they use their time. Without question, an email is viewed as a faster and more logical delivery method than a phone call.
But, it’s not always the most effective.
We shouldn’t lose sight of the belief that on occasion direct dialogue might be the most advisable tactic. Most people in the communication business understand that dynamic. Often due to stress and lack of time, they fail to practice it often enough.
It raises a question in my mind: Do we need a reorientation of communication values?
Candid conversation by phone (and now with video conferencing) can often be a more effective way to respond to people, clarify issues or simply make a favorable impression. My colleagues on the CoSIDA staff are excellent at understanding when situations are best addressed with a phone call instead of an email.
Speaking, as opposed to typing, allows the impactful influence of tone, substance and detailed points of view that might be missing when going back-and-forth by email or in an online forum.
These are life lessons that have served me well over a lengthy career.
How we connect and build relationships are fundamentals that solve problems and create opportunities. Much has changed in the world of athletics communication. One thing that has remained embedded in the job description is valuing the fact that we are in the relationship-building business.
I hope that on occasion — and when we have the time — we remember to back away from staring at a screen and instead rely on our voice, our ears and sometimes a smile to effectively deliver a message.
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