The expectations for instant gratification, attention and immediate response is not realistic in some workplaces . Today the average 26 year old has more, better and faster technology in their own personal use than they do in the workplace.
I was a motivational speaker for government employees where the speech was catered to the challenges with heavy technological use and the disintegration of social etiquette and emotional intelligence.
Here are some of the break downs that occur because of over reliance on technology to communicate:
Misinterpretation.
The motivational speech divulged some mixed messages that result from digital interaction. Without the aid of face to face dialogue including tone of voice, eye contact and other non- verbal's, the context and nuances of communication are lost. Some studies suggest that upwards of 70% of a message is communicated with these non verbal messages.
Being aware of a persons posture, tone and overall disposition can help interpret a listeners understanding( or lack of). Communication is two way and the loss of face to face non verbal skills has big implications for compliance, understanding and misinterpretation.
Digital communication is designed to cut the chase and get to the point where building and enhancing relationships takes a back seat to instant, abbreviated communication. Cutting out formalities( like please, thank you, and how are you today?) can result in deteriorating relationships and decreased emotional awareness.
Multi-Tasking Mayhem.
Many heavy digital users are well versed at communicating digitally and doing other things at the same time. Answering a text message can happen in the middle of a conversation at a business meeting. It may seem rude, but it happens all the time.
As the brain can only focus on one thing at a time, overall quality of communication declines. How can you pick up on emotional undertones when you are switching your attention between four conversations at once?
Informal Communication Style
Communicating face to face has certain respectful gestures built in like smiling and eye contact. When these gestures are lost so is a layer of formal respect in communication.
Social media offers an instant platform to flaunt your stuff and garner instant recognition and praise. Even if it's not real or deserved, people pay attention in online communities.
Read a compelling article on this topic: EQ and the Future of Work
Face to face communication relies on practical participation and demands real results. Some heavy digital users have a hard time understanding the nuances and may walk in to a meeting expecting to be the star of the show, wanting instant attention and gratification.
Their communication style may be very informal, using text speak (Yo, what's up etc) that's not appropriate face to face.
I look forward to being a motivational speaker for the government employees. A preview of the motivational speech is below