My daughters love their iPhones, respond to my texts instantaneously, email intermittently and the older one will frequently like my status on Facebook, where we are "friends" (why is "friend" the only allowed facebook relationship, and why is every helpdesk person at the Apple Store a "genius"?).
But neither daughter answers her phone. They don't have voice mail set up, and the ringers are often turned off. I know how to reach them when I need to, and since they live under my roof, I have plenty of opportunities for real time, face to face conversation. However, I notice that at work, many of the younger generation have no phone at their desk, even in cases where their key colleagues work remotely. A recent article in the WSJ described bosses' frustration with staff who don't use their phone. Young employees say a call-free day means fewer interruptions, but the flip side is a lack of connection.
Unlike many people who lament how we are always connected now, I love the fact that I can reach and be reached virtually anytime and anywhere. And having different channels is very useful:
- A quick text to indicate I'm running late,
- A detailed email outlining outstanding issues,
- A facebook post to share a great article or photo
- A tweet to inform followers of a major news event
But with all of these options, sometimes phone (with or without video) is still the best substitute for live, face-to-face communication. Young people avoid it for the same reason many older people avoid it–real time communication can be hard, requiring on-the spot responses and often resulting in a genuine display of emotion which bystanders can overhear. Such vulnerability can be challenging, even embarrassing.
Feeling connected, and belonging to communities is a basic human need. It's also a key business requirement. We all need to take a look at the tools we are using to make sure that our communications are truly effective.
