Every day we face an overwhelming amount of messages. Team communication hasn’t evolved with the growth of digital channels. Our behavior and expectations online are the same as if we were in person. Except we’re not. As a result, we’re responding quickly instead of thoughtfully.
Our daily workflow depends on digital channels. We use email, direct messages, chat, workspaces, social media, and an assortment of software. It’s how teams talk, plan projects, and get feedback from clients, peers, and management.
Digital channels encourage fast and easy communication. Tone and nuance are lost. Misunderstandings, overwhelm, and fatigue are just a few of the side effects. Easy isn’t best.
Bad Communication Habits
You message too fast
Promptness is important, but not at the expense of thoughtfulness. In a rush to respond many times, we haven’t fully thought out our message leaving people confused or frustrated. This creates an excess of messages seeking clarity contributing to overwhelm and cluttered inboxes.
“Where I like to focus is what is the type of relationship we want to have with our clients and how can we add to that. So a lot of it is in the tone of our emails it’s how complete those emails are. Are we going the extra mile in our responses to them?”
Dondrea Owens, CPA – Episode 003
You share a stream of conscious thought
Some people are verbal processors. This is great, however, it doesn’t translate well online. It’s harder for recipients to understand the specific need and to respond accordingly.
I recommend 1) picking up the phone 2) meeting in person or 3) writing out your thoughts in a draft to create your own clarity before summarizing and making a clear ask. Doing this reduces the number of messages and increases response time.
You use digital channels to avoid face-to-face
Some conversations deserve a quick call or 1:1 meeting. When we delay connection, we risk increasing conflict.
You’re connected 24/7
We don’t walk away from our phones like we do our computers. This creates more messages after hours. This “always-on” mode contributes to stress and burnout for ourselves and others. I’m guilty of this. If you have an iPhone, use the focus mode. I set mine to filter notifications outside of work hours.
The EU has resources to support employees’ “right to disconnect”. Unfortunately, boundaries respecting personal time may have to be legislated. Several European countries have passed legislation and Kenya is considering it.
Very few things are so urgent they can’t wait til the morning. There’s a saying “Your lack of planning doesn’t make it my emergency.”
Why Does This Happen
My theory is cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is when our thoughts don’t match our behavior. 10 years ago our phones were primarily used for synchronous conversations. Allowing us to immediately connect with someone else when they picked up our call.
Now phones offer many asynchronous communication methods including SMS, DM, Slack, etc. We rarely call someone anymore even though we’re still using a phone. Cognitive dissonance occurs because we still use our phones and expect an immediate (synchronous) connection. Except now our team members and colleagues aren’t sitting on the other end waiting to respond.
Technology evolved and we’re still playing catch up to adapt our behavior. This behavior gap will continue to occur as technology changes faster than humans.
Communication Gone Wrong
“Slack affords levels of inclusion and transparency email simply doesn’t. With email, the original author gets to pick who is included in the conversation and whose voices won’t be heard. That’s not the company we want.“
– Steph Korey, Away
Sounds good in theory, but not practical in execution. The quote sounds more like the opportunity to micromanage than be inclusive. Micromanaging doesn’t help anyone at any level do their best work and grow.
- Constant interruptions (pings) detract from focus, creativity, and productivity.
- Too many cooks in the kitchen lead to delays, lack of accountability, and slow progress.
If inclusivity is a problem within the organization, then have the appropriate people on the project or committee. Everyone doesn’t need to be included.
9 Practices to Improve Virtual Communication
What would happen if you changed how you viewed digital channels? Instead of viewing SMS, DM, Slack, etc. as real-time conversations view them as postcards. With postcards, we don’t know when it will be read and whether we’ll receive a response. It’s asynchronous.
By changing your expectations and behavior, you improve your communication and relationships. Making it easier for the other person to respond, take action, and/or include what we need. Effective team communication starts with us. Here are 9 practices to implement.
Make it clear
Is your request direct and easy to understand? Can the recipient respond or take action without asking additional questions? Or do you need to add context or edit your message?
Make it concise
Are you specific in your request? Or is your message a stream of consciousness?
Again write out your thoughts in a draft to create clarity before summarizing to make a clear ask. Doing this reduces the number of messages and increases response time.
Pause before sending
Is the message necessary? We’re quick to hit send and overlook whether the message is of value. Does it add value to the project or relationship?
In the age of memes, it’s easy to share anything and everything. I’m guilty of this.
Format for results
- Use paragraphs (2-3 sentences).
- Avoid run-on sentences.
- Use bullet points.
- Highlight key points or make them bold. If they were to skim your message, what do you want to make sure they don’t miss?
- If you need action by a specific date, include the deadline.
- Include links or attachments, as necessary. Especially helpful so they don’t have to waste time finding it themselves.
- If you need them to make a choice, present them with options.
- ✅ “I’m available Mon 5pm or Wed 3pm, which one is best for you?”
- 🚫 “When are you available to meet?”
consider their inbox
Make it easy for the recipient to assess your email before opening it. This makes it easier for them when scanning their inbox to see which emails to prioritize. Note: If you abuse this and make everything urgent, then nothing will be urgent. 🤷🏻♀️
- Start the subject line with the type of action (FYI, REVIEW, REMINDER).
- If I need action by a specific date, I include that in the subject line too.
Message where the action occurs
There are many tools used to manage different functions of the business. My rule of thumb is to place the message where the action needs to occur. Showing my age here, but it’s the equivalent of placing a post-it note on a company file or document when sending it intraoffice.
In 2024, this looks like placing a question/comment about a specific task or project in the application where the work is done. Or if you use Notion, then ask the question on the page of the project or task. This makes it easier for the recipient to review, take action, and respond.
Assume a positive tone
Messages can be misinterpreted in many ways. The mood you’re in can influence how you read someone else’s message. If you’re having a rough day, it’s more likely you’ll take a message personally than read it as information. It’s also more likely your messages may come off as condescending or passive-aggressive. In these instances, pause and clear your head before you send a message. Assume good intent.
Pick up the phone to connect and gain clarity on the situation.
Talking to a confidant in person is not the same as using company property (email, DM, Slack, etc) to vent and gossip. Nothing good comes from it; as shown by numerous leaked screenshots in the news.
Practice Professionalism
Understand any business communication can be shared without consent. This underscores the importance of why communication needs to be professional at every level. You have less to worry about legally (liability) and reputationally (brand risk) when you lead with your best.
Hold Boundaries
As leaders, we always have to be self-aware of the messages we’re sending explicitly and implicitly. Team members should not be required or feel obligated to respond outside of working hours. This includes vacation and sick days. Again poor planning doesn’t make it someone else’s emergency, regardless of the roles.
Nurture a culture of mutual respect.
Responding to messages after hours encourages the “always-on” behavior and contributes to burnout. Boundaries allow you and your team to get needed rest to be refreshed for the next day.
If you use Slack or a similar service, create channels sparingly and with intention. More channels lead to increased disruptions and decreased productivity. Where people focus time and attention is what grows.
When implemented these 9 practices improve team communication and reduce the volume of messages. 2-3 messages are better than 10-15. Communicating with the recipient in mind improves the conversation. By being more thoughtful and thorough in our communication we also get some of our time back.
What would happen to your team’s performance if there were fewer interruptions? How could client relationships improve with more intentional communication?