Ms. Gendron

Social Media & PR

Tips for Effectively Communicating in an Attention-Deficit World

By Mary Gendron, President, Middleton & Gendron, Inc.

The self-deprecating comment "I think I have adult ADD" has become as pervasive as the ubiquitous "senior moment" quip within the office environment in recent years. But is it really just a joke? Based on conversations with clients and peers inside of the hotel industry and out, I think not.

As technology has prompted the workplace to move on an ever faster track, human beings have been adapting -- on the surface, surprisingly well -- by operating at increasingly faster speeds.

The need for speed seems to align with our competitive nature. If we can go faster, then we must, especially if it means staying ahead of the competition. Has speed enhanced overall productivity? No doubt it has. For those of us whose careers depend upon use of a PC, email and the Internet, we can work with efficiency that was unimagined even 10 years ago.

Communication, on the surface, is easier and quicker than ever. We have a wealth of information at our fingertips, allowing us to be better informed in our communication with others. We can communicate in real time, cutting across georgraphic, time zone and even cultural boundaries. We can easily inform ourselves of basic cultural idioms as we craft communication directed to people in other regions of the country or far flung areas of the world. When the situation calls for it, we can access translation services at the touch of a button.

And yet it seems that true communication is more elusive than ever. If you accept that communication creates understanding between the giver and the receiver, then we seem to have quite a way to go before we can call ourselves consistently effective. It may be, as someone said to me years ago, that communication is the last great frontier.

Over the course of a typical work day, it is not unusual to experience frustration as a giver and as a receiver of communication. Due to workplace pressures, it is easy to be plagued by distraction and lack of focus and by the challenge of retaining the information that comes our way every day. We become forgetful. In some cases, we even claim not to have received an email that we later track and realize we have open and read.

Why is it so difficult? And how can we improve the situation?

My theory is that the need for speed is the culprit more so than the technology itself. By its nature, speed skims the surface, robbing communication of the depth it deserves to be absorbed and remembered. Speed works at cross purposes with thoughtfulness. Like an addictive drug, it replaces consideration with exhilaration. We get caught up in it and can easily lose sight of what we're giving up by bowing to it.

While speed has its place, it shouldn't be at the expense of making meaningful connections with the people we want to make contact with. Mindful awareness of the situation is the first major step toward putting speed in its rightful place, as a tool we control and use to our advantage as we see fit.

There are a number of ways to reassess how we communicate and how we deal with the tools at our disposal. Here are a few initial ideas:

1. Slow down:
   Examine your own communications habits at the start of your day. Are you on your Blackberry before getting into the shower? Are you compelled to check and answer every email before 9 am? Entering your day thoughtfully and strategically may improve your purpose and focus and alter your communication habits for the better.
2. Value personal interaction first:
   Give time to people who want to talk to you face-to-face. View it as a welcome respite from e-communication. Turn away from the computer or your PDA to give a visitor focused face time.
3. Establish B- and e-free zones:
   Establish times and/or places during the day where you turn off your Blackberry and stay away from email. Create boundaries that allow you to get off of the speed treadmill at appointed times. This will help you feel more in control of your day, and will allow for busy brainwaves to settle down and regain perspective on the work at hand.
4. Turn off the auto-alert on your email:
   The "you've got mail" message, once considered a convenience and a service, can be a nuisance if you are a heavy email user. With the alert turned off, you'll feel less compelled to lose focus and jump from the task at hand to the new message.
5. Hit the Reply button:
   Since communication is a two-way street, it's a courtesy to reply to an email someone has taken the time to write to you. Even a one- or two word reply, i.e., "thanks", "got it" is preferable to no reply at all.
6. Copy others thoughtfully:
   A great benefit of email communication is the ability to keep interested parties in the loop on matters of common interest. Being mindful of when to include others -- on missives regarding strategy and other major matters -- and when not to (in a barrage of back-and-forths on tactical issues) helps foster effective communication, shows leadership, and aids in relationship building.
7. Know when to communicate face-to-face:
   Common knowledge, but worth repeating is the notion that if a disagreement, disappointment or argument is involved, that is a face-to-face discussion rather than one carried on via email.
8. Take a humor break:
   I've found a great way to break the tension and reduce stress levels is through humor -- quick, short, here-and-gone kind of humor that helps build relationships and makes work more fun.
9. Consider your reciepient's medium:
   Blackberry communicators appreciate short replies and documents embedded rather than sent as attachments. One- or two-word replies from such users should be understood and accepted.
10. Know your recipient's preferred method of communication:
    Over the years, communication has expanded from face-to-face and phone conversation to email and other less personal methods. Some clients and journalists I deal with clearly have a preference. In some cases, it's email, and in others, phone or face-to-face meetings. Taking the time to understand one's preferences goes a long way in establishing effective communication and helps build productive relationships.

A parting thought is to consider one of Stephen Covey's "7 Habits": Seek first to understand, then to be understood." And take a long, slow breath before doing it.

Mary Gendron is president of Middleton & Gendron, Inc. Brand Communications, a public relations and branding firm specializing in travel and hospitality for three decades. Prior to moving into public relations, Gendron was editor of Hotel & Motel Management magazine and engineered its redesign. Prior to that, she was part of Gralla Publications. Where she was instrumental in the launch of Meeting News magazine, and was the magazine's first managing editor. Her writing, as a journalist and on behalf of agency clients, has appeared in a wide range of media. Ms. Gendron can be contacted at 212-990-9065 or mgendron@mg-pr.com Extended Bio...

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