With so many options in our world for communication, what is the best way to communicate with your colleagues, your clients or even your future employer?
This month: Communication is key
In our day to day world we use a variety of communication methods. From the endless emails bouncing back and forth, the phone calls – arranged and impromptu, whatsapp messages, video meetings, in person meetings the list and the options go on and on…
Recently I read this line and it really got me thinking “I never said she stole my money”.
This simple line has 7 words, it also has 7 different meanings depending on which word is emphasised. Go ahead read it with each word in turn emphasised! In each instance the line changes and the meaning is perfectly clear although entirely different.
Now imagine that line delivered to you in an email. You have 7 ways that you could interpret it and only one is right, 6 times out of 7 you would get the emphasis wrong. Of course context is everything and that could help, but it does go to show how easily miscommunication can happen.
Picking up the phone allows us to get to the bottom of a vague email or a delicate issue. Meeting online allows us to gain some personal connection and ‘put a face to the name’ but nothing beats meeting in person to really get to know someone. In person, you can more easily understand the emphasis they put on things and where their real priorities and preferences lie.
If you are part of an interview process, unless the role is remote, then it would be my recommendation to meet in person. It gives you so much more unspoken information and also can help you to feel connected to your future employer/ employee.
Avoiding confusion and really understanding the meaning of what someone is saying, is so very much easier when you are sat in the same room!
So have a think about the best way to do things, sometimes firing back an email isn’t the answer!
Always happy to chat on email or, whatsapp; but even happier to have a conversation via phone, online or in person over a coffee to talk about your career plans!
As an added bonus this month we have negotiated a discount for you on this legal CV drafting e-book, a guide to help you maximise your CV drafting efforts. Use the code 10LEGCVS to get a 10% discount, making it just £13.49 for a wealth of invaluable advice from our resident CV drafter, Sarah Reza, a former solicitor.
