This week we’re talking about which Communication Media we should employ.

If you’ve listened to the Talk About Talk podcasts, you know that I ask every guest expert 5 Rapid Fire Qs, including “what is your go-to communication medium for personal conversations?” The answers vary widely – from face-to-face, to phone, to text, and more. No one channel is ideal in all circumstances. Here’s our chance to learn the pros and cons of each!

You can skim this short email or click the links to learn more.

Let’s do this…

? The Podcast:

“COMMUNICATION MEDIA: Phone or Email… with HR expert Tamara Finlay”

I TOLD YOU I am listening! Here’s a topic that several of you have requested, and some of you have even shared horror stories with me. Thank you! I always appreciate your ideas and your stories!

Andrea & Tamara

For this week’s ?podcast episode focused on “COMMUNICATION MEDIA” I interviewed Tamara Finlay, a human resources expert who was recommended to me by another Talk About Talk listener!

Tamara is very insightful about optimizing “people and culture” in organizations. She is also a lot of fun – you will hear the laughter in the podcast!

In case you’re not yet following me on social media, it was when I was interviewing Tamara that the doorbell rang. A few days later when I was editing the podcast late at night, the doorbell kept ringing. Every time I went to the door, no one was there! It took THREE TIMES or me to realize the doorbell was in the audio recording. Yes, I’m a podcast dingdoing. And YES, I edited out the doorbell!

Amongst other things you will learn in this podcast:

How AGE is not the only factor you should consider when choosing a medium for communication (yes, there are Millennials who pick up the phone, and yes, many Boomers and Gen Xs do text!)
How to use the A.C.E. ACRONYM to help you choose the ideal media for your communication
How to use the 3H FRAMEWORK to identify the type of content you are communicating

Thank you, Tamara!

?PROs & ?CONs of EACH MEDIA

In the podcast I promised listeners I would summarize the main pros and cons of each media in this blog. So here’s the list:

?FACE-TO-FACE

✅Two-way real-time dialogue
✅Body language and tone-of-voice evident
✅Ideal for emotionally charged conversations
✅Ideal for developing new relationships
⛔️Can be most expensive
⛔️Not recorded, not archivable
⛔️Least convenient – same time and location

? VIDEO CALL
(Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, etc)

✅Two-way real-time dialogue
✅Body language and tone-of-voice evident
✅Remotely accessible – can save travel time & $$$
⛔️Needs to be same time
⛔️No de-brief (what happens after call?)

? PHONE

✅Can hear tone of voice
✅Two-way real-time dialogue
⛔️No body language
⛔️Not archivable
⛔️No de-brief (what happens after call?)

? EMAIL & TEXT

✅Fast & easy (no time or location constraints)
✅Archivable
✅Easy to search keywords
✅Can access & reply when convenient
✅Inexpensive
✅Ability to edit
⛔️No body language or tone of voice
⛔️Difficult to confirm if message received
⛔️Difficult to develop new relationships
⛔️One-way

Let me know if I missed anything!

QUOTES on MEDIA CHOICE

I hope you enjoy this week’s podcast, “COMMUNICATION MEDIA: Phone or Email… with HR expert Tamara Finlay”

Tamara asked me a great question during the interview. We all know that handwritten notes are on the decline. The Q is: could you even identify your co-workers’ handwriting? GREAT Q, right? Given they are so rare nowadays, the impact of a hand-written note might be significant. This is something we can keep in mind for when we need it.

Speaking of “when you need it,” I hope you downloaded the printable PDF “5 Simple Steps to Improve your Communication” that I sent you last week. This document is available for a limited time to new and existing Talk About Talk email subscribers. I hope you will encourage your friends to also sign up by going to the Talk About Talk website!