Why are we always tripped up by communication problems?
Dear reader,
This week I write about challenges with communication. It seems that whether we are in a large organization or just talking with a single person, communication can always be improved.
Then I share an infographic that reveals how our moods change the longer we stay on specific social media platforms. Do the results match your perceptions?
In addition, a brief look at how dietary fibre affects more than your digestive system. Scientists are finding new fibre benefits all the time, it seems.
I hope these topics will interest you. Leave a comment at any time by clicking on the bubble icon.
-Renato
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Communication, especially with technology in the mix, requires more attention than we admit
In recent weeks, through personal experience, it has become apparent to me that probably the single most important skill we need in life, especially in interpersonal relations and in cooperative efforts, is communication. It is also apparent that we are not doing as well as we think in this area.
Despite the astounding growth of technology and the plethora of applications designed to help us, or perhaps because of our increasing reliance on them, we may be stumbling. Perhaps we have become too dependent on computer systems in the office, at the supermarket, in travel, banking, dating and dozens of other daily interactions.
Let me cite two recent personal examples of communication inefficiencies brought on by technology. I am sure you have many examples of your own.
Telecom snafu
My wife and I recently completed the migration of our mobile phones from one carrier to another. The move was forced on us due to the merger of two large telecommunications companies in Canada. The transition should have been straight forward, taking a few minutes, maybe an hour, or perhaps a day to complete. In our case, it took over two months filled with technical miscues, many hours on the telephone with customer service representatives, five visits to retail stores and so much passing off from one department to another I felt we were problem children no one wanted. There was nothing wrong with us. Our two phones had different area codes, and this created a hiccup in activation for one of the lines.
In the end the transition happened thanks to our persistence and to two intelligent employees who were willing to find the solutions we had been promised two months earlier. The explanations we were given along the way ranged from “You have to wait for the promo,” to “you have to call another department,” and “there’s an error code that won’t let me proceed.” As we continued working with personnel to resolve the issues, the “system” sent numerous poorly worded messages to us. One, after weeks of efforts, felt like an insult. It said, “Since you have done nothing to facilitate migration, your phone service will be cut off.”
The problem all along was not on our end; it was on their company side.
And to think that the communication for the transition had started with upbeat wording like, “Great news!” and “Your package will have everything you need,” and “Rest assured.”
Eventually the issue was resolved, but what a painful journey it was. Communication and execution are often complex.
Does this experience sound familiar?
Bank message
Let me share another recent example. This one is from my bank. Before Christmas, the online portal for electronic banking added a service note in small font on the login page. It was underneath the field where one would normally enter the password. The note said that the bank was planning some weekend maintenance on the site. All good so far.
I had read the message a few days earlier and now it was the weekend and I had forgotten about it. When I tried to login to my online account, I found the site would not accept my password. Instead I saw a security alert message related to my account. The message told me to call a phone number for more information. The number was answered by a computer system and the voice asked me to provide my specific account number so it could identify me. I was not comfortable giving my account number to an identity I still wasn’t sure was actually the bank. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but a real, live person provides more fact-checking opportunities and a chance to have a discussion to better understand an issue. After some inquiry, I found out that there was no security breach. The bank was working on its website. It’s my own fault for not having remembered that, but creating anxiety by telling me there was a security issue with my account wasn’t necessary. Why couldn’t the on-screen message simply have remained consistent with the earlier service note and said, “Sorry, the site is down temporarily for scheduled maintenance?”
Person-to-person
Challenges continue to vex us in interpersonal communication as well. Have you noticed how we overuse the same words for many topics? It feels like our vocabulary is shrinking and we are running out of ways to express ourselves. And yet, there are so many options to choose, if we try. We may not be using our descriptive and expressive faculties to the same degree as before the digital era.
More importantly, we are not listening to each other enough. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else. How often do we listen patiently and empathetically while keeping our emotions in check?
Communication is a two-way activity. It is not completed by the sending of a message. It becomes communication when the person to whom a message is sent acknowledges having received it and understood it. It’s a cop-out to assume you have communicated just by sending a message or posting something.
I’m not against technology. We need it and I welcome the benefits and life improvement it brings. However, let’s remember that what makes us human is our ability to understand other sentient beings; to inspire, to feel, to share ideas fully. We could solve lots of conflict and misunderstandings if we just applied a little effort in improving this vital skill.
A final word. This is from a mental health professional, who offers a constructive perspective:
Humans in general are not great at communication. But we muddle through, and it’s sort of ok as long as there are no big life wrenches thrown in our way. But if that wrench is something that by its very nature involves difficulty communicating, it becomes a major problem. Conversely, improving communication can improve the whole situation.”
I think we can all agree on that.
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How we feel when we are interacting with social media
A survey of social media shows how long it takes for users of various apps to go from feeling “happy” to “unhappy.” The data was collected by an app called “Moment” (short for “In The Moment”). Designed to create awareness about user screen habits, the app tracks time spent on phone screens with specific applications.
The results seem to indicate that the longer one’s session extends with an app, the less positive one feels about it. And this pattern seems to be similar regardless of the app. It appears we eventually become unhappy no matter what app we use.
I’ve posted an infographic below.
According to this survey, Tinder, Mail, Slack, Skype and LinkedIn seem to have the shortest period between satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Across the board, less time spent on social media seems to correlate with better feelings.
Food for thought.
More proof that dietary fibre is good for you
An article by Mark Wulczynski of McMaster University published this week highlights new evidence that the benefits of dietary fibre go far beyond the colon. Scientists believe fibre not only improves general health, but also brain function and immunity through the gut-brain axis.
Increasingly, studies are honing in on the role fibre plays as a prebiotic nutrient. Prebiotics are foods that act as nutrients for the development of healthy microorganisms in the gut. These in turn support the immune system, reduce inflammation and help with general health by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon.
Most of us do not consume the recommended amounts of dietary fibre. Health experts continue to emphasize that consuming adequate types and amounts of fibre reduces risks related to cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Now studies also point to improvements in brain activity.
You can read the full article with links to studies, here. It was posted by The Conversation, an independent source of information from the academic and research community.
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Thanks for reading Zanepost. I hope you found it interesting. My sketch this week is of the Burrard Bridge in Vancouver, with colour added from a phone app as an experiment. I used the app just long enough to feel somewhere between “happy” and “unhappy.” :)
Until next time,
-Renato