Comments on: I’ve Said it Before, I’ll Say it Again … Communication is Critical! http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/ Nina Nets it Out - Leadership perspectives by Nina Simosko Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:06:56 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nina http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-1165 Nina Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:41:25 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-1165 Hey Allen, As Laurie Reuttimann stated in her comment: "be brief, be compelling, be done". In some sense, this notion is the entire reason for my "Nina Nets It Out" section of each blog entry! If you only have time to read a sentence or two, I am hoping that this section gives you a take away all by itself! Hey Allen,
As Laurie Reuttimann stated in her comment: “be brief, be compelling, be done”. In some sense, this notion is the entire reason for my “Nina Nets It Out” section of each blog entry! If you only have time to read a sentence or two, I am hoping that this section gives you a take away all by itself!

]]> By: Allen Ling http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-1164 Allen Ling Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:19:42 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-1164 Dear Nina: Another great reminder to me that long rambling emails (like the ones I used to write employees, sometimes 5 paragraphs worth) can lose the reader, and that shorter is sweeter! A great entry...thanks again! Dear Nina:

Another great reminder to me that long rambling emails (like the ones I used to write employees, sometimes 5 paragraphs worth) can lose the reader, and that shorter is sweeter! A great entry…thanks again!

]]> By: Nina http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-934 Nina Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:40:26 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-934 Hi Laurie, Thanks for your very concise version of my entry!! How short & sweet!! I might use that...with royalties to you, of course! ;-) Hi Laurie,
Thanks for your very concise version of my entry!! How short & sweet!! I might use that…with royalties to you, of course! ;-)

]]> By: laurie ruettimann http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-933 laurie ruettimann Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:46:32 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-933 Hey, Nina. Great post! I happen to agree: be brief, be compelling, be done. Hey, Nina. Great post! I happen to agree: be brief, be compelling, be done.

]]> By: Nina http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-860 Nina Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:23:34 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-860 Hi Marius, Thanks for your comments. I agree that adding "effective" is worthwhile. Ineffective communication clearly doesn't help at all. Teaching people to effectively communicate is so tremendously important, especially since so few people truly can do so with consistency. Also, as you note, being able to adjust one's communication or choice of wording to best reflect the specific circumstances, is a big part of communication being "effective". In these difficult times, it will be noteworthy to see how great managers not only survive themselves, but also make differences in their respective companies. Hi Marius,
Thanks for your comments. I agree that adding “effective” is worthwhile. Ineffective communication clearly doesn’t help at all. Teaching people to effectively communicate is so tremendously important, especially since so few people truly can do so with consistency. Also, as you note, being able to adjust one’s communication or choice of wording to best reflect the specific circumstances, is a big part of communication being “effective”. In these difficult times, it will be noteworthy to see how great managers not only survive themselves, but also make differences in their respective companies.

]]> By: Marius http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-859 Marius Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:12:55 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-859 I would to your post that “effective communication is critical”. Everybody can communicate, but not everybody can have always an effective communication. And in today’s times an effective communication is even more critical. We all feel the pressure of the deadlines, budget constraints, teams downsizing and an effective communication can make a big difference between “being on time and within budget” and the project failure. It is sad but I see too many situations around me when directors and VPs cannot just adjust their “speeches” to the current economical challenges. Instead of being the leaders that are driving the motivation and trust within the team members their communication efforts have the opposite effect. In good times an average to good manager can survive as everybody is on the growth wave, but in current economical hardships only great managers know how to make a difference - it’s too sad to see just a few of them, but at least we see the difference (good managers play checkers, great managers play chess - the difference between the two games is astronomical). I would to your post that “effective communication is critical”. Everybody can communicate, but not everybody can have always an effective communication. And in today’s times an effective communication is even more critical. We all feel the pressure of the deadlines, budget constraints, teams downsizing and an effective communication can make a big difference between “being on time and within budget” and the project failure. It is sad but I see too many situations around me when directors and VPs cannot just adjust their “speeches” to the current economical challenges. Instead of being the leaders that are driving the motivation and trust within the team members their communication efforts have the opposite effect.
In good times an average to good manager can survive as everybody is on the growth wave, but in current economical hardships only great managers know how to make a difference – it’s too sad to see just a few of them, but at least we see the difference (good managers play checkers, great managers play chess – the difference between the two games is astronomical).

]]> By: Nina http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-854 Nina Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:04:10 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-854 Hi Hayli, The interesting thing is that there truly are so many ways nowadays to communicate. And, as you note, the best method varies, depending on the circumstances. Hi Hayli,
The interesting thing is that there truly are so many ways nowadays to communicate. And, as you note, the best method varies, depending on the circumstances.

]]> By: Hayli @ Rise Smart http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-853 Hayli @ Rise Smart Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:38:02 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-853 Yep, I agree. Even when it comes to friendships, if it's strictly the facts and details, I text it or Facebook it. If it's something where I'm not sure how my statements will be received and I need to hear the person's voice to react accordingly, I definitely call. Or if it requires longer than 140 chars. ;) Yep, I agree. Even when it comes to friendships, if it’s strictly the facts and details, I text it or Facebook it. If it’s something where I’m not sure how my statements will be received and I need to hear the person’s voice to react accordingly, I definitely call. Or if it requires longer than 140 chars. ;)

]]> By: Nina http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-846 Nina Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:35:02 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-846 Hey Dave, Thanks for your great comments. While I agree that connection is critical to building relationships, there are some times when communicating in and of itself is sufficient. Imagine if you will that you are sitting on a plane and all of a sudden there is some worse-than-normal turbulence that occurs and continues for an uncomfortably long time. I for one don't need the captain to come out of the cockpit to connect with me and demonstrate his non-verbal cues to me. I simply want to hear some re-assurance that he is aware and letting us know what is happening. This said, the quality of the communication is highly important as you note. However, I don't believe that quality is necessarily determined by quantity. Twitter with its 140 characters is used in tremendously productive, meaningful ways by more and more companies and people. And lastly, your blog entry on Connecting vs. Relating is excellent. However, one point that I would challenge is that "These tools also create a shield that enables us to do things that are unthinkable in a real relationship--we can start shading the truth--which gives way to outright lying." In my experience, people seem to be able to be even more open and truthful in their communications when using these tools. In fact, I would suggest that it is for the very fact that they are not looking those they are communicating to in their eyes and are thus able to deliver the news, be it bad or good, in a more realistic, raw manner. Anyway, great points and great insights about communication. We simply must continue to realize the importance of communicating and adopt new and [potentially] improved methods to do so. And, we must heed your advice about not losing the connection in the process! Hey Dave,
Thanks for your great comments. While I agree that connection is critical to building relationships, there are some times when communicating in and of itself is sufficient. Imagine if you will that you are sitting on a plane and all of a sudden there is some worse-than-normal turbulence that occurs and continues for an uncomfortably long time. I for one don’t need the captain to come out of the cockpit to connect with me and demonstrate his non-verbal cues to me. I simply want to hear some re-assurance that he is aware and letting us know what is happening.

This said, the quality of the communication is highly important as you note. However, I don’t believe that quality is necessarily determined by quantity. Twitter with its 140 characters is used in tremendously productive, meaningful ways by more and more companies and people.

And lastly, your blog entry on Connecting vs. Relating is excellent. However, one point that I would challenge is that “These tools also create a shield that enables us to do things that are unthinkable in a real relationship–we can start shading the truth–which gives way to outright lying.” In my experience, people seem to be able to be even more open and truthful in their communications when using these tools. In fact, I would suggest that it is for the very fact that they are not looking those they are communicating to in their eyes and are thus able to deliver the news, be it bad or good, in a more realistic, raw manner.

Anyway, great points and great insights about communication. We simply must continue to realize the importance of communicating and adopt new and [potentially] improved methods to do so. And, we must heed your advice about not losing the connection in the process!

]]> By: Dave Brock http://ninasimosko.com/blog/ive-said-it-before-ill-say-it-again-communication-is-critical/comment-page-1/#comment-845 Dave Brock Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:56:32 +0000 http://ninasimosko.com/blog/?p=195#comment-845 Provocative post. No one would disagree with the criticality of communication. Technology provides increasing variety in the ways in which we communicate --- and we should leverage every means appropriate. I worry however about the quality of communications and whether we are really connecting. Current studies show teenagers prefer text messaging to voice conversations. Twitter "discussions" are 140 chaaracters (discounting url links). Scientists say 70% of communication is non-verbal. Where people rely on technology to communicate, how do we get the 70%? Email, messaging, twitter, even blogs enable people do act in ways they never would in a face to face or voice to voice disucssion. Communication is critical, but connecting is where real meaning is and how relationships are built. We would be foolish not to leverage all means available to us, but we have to be certain not to lose the connection. (I got on a rampage about this a number of months ago and wrote this post: http://partnersinexcellence.blogspot.com/2008/10/connecting-verus-relating-disappearance.html) Provocative post. No one would disagree with the criticality of communication. Technology provides increasing variety in the ways in which we communicate — and we should leverage every means appropriate.

I worry however about the quality of communications and whether we are really connecting. Current studies show teenagers prefer text messaging to voice conversations. Twitter “discussions” are 140 chaaracters (discounting url links).

Scientists say 70% of communication is non-verbal. Where people rely on technology to communicate, how do we get the 70%?

Email, messaging, twitter, even blogs enable people do act in ways they never would in a face to face or voice to voice disucssion.

Communication is critical, but connecting is where real meaning is and how relationships are built. We would be foolish not to leverage all means available to us, but we have to be certain not to lose the connection.

(I got on a rampage about this a number of months ago and wrote this post: http://partnersinexcellence.blogspot.com/2008/10/connecting-verus-relating-disappearance.html)

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