Use These 4 Tips to Master Digital Communication
At one point or another, we have all received this text message, email, or instant message from a colleague that made us question everything. Even though we know it can be difficult to convey tone in writing, we can still analyze every word and punctuation mark, trying to find clues. At the same time, we may also find it difficult to get the intended message across in our own digital communication.
According to Erika Dhawan , an expert on coherent intelligence, 75% of communication is body language and 70% of professional communication is virtual. “These days we don’t talk about conversations, we write conversations,” she explains. In his LinkedIn training course on Empathy in Communication, Dhavan suggests the following strategies for transforming communication skills into an increasingly digital world.
Pay attention to any digital signals in your message.
Of course, word choice plays an important role in emails, and it’s probably (hopefully) already on our radar. But there are many other types of digital signals that can affect how your message is received that you might want to consider before hitting send. According to Dhavan, these include “message response times; your email signature; to whom you send a copy, forward or hide in your emails; the order of the recipients’ email addresses in the email; switching from one media to another; [and] the use of punctuation marks, abbreviations and emoticons. “
Punctuation is more important than you think
We’ve already figured out why some types of punctuation (or lack thereof) can seem more aggressive than others, and this is certainly true in professional communication as well. For example, by paying attention to the use of dots, question marks and exclamation marks, “you can use these signals to convey your true feelings,” says Dhavan. Specifying what emotion you’re trying to convey can help you avoid a colleague’s misunderstanding of your message.
Reveal any requests
If you’re asking someone to do something, don’t make it a guessing game, especially if the message calls for the next step. Dhavan recommends reading your message and asking yourself, “Does the recipient know if this is an opinion or a request for action? And is it clear what to do next? “
Closer to the point, staying clear
Since all inboxes are ripped apart at the digital seams, respect the person’s time (and your own) by making emails concise yet very legible. For example, if you ask a colleague two different questions in an email and he is in a hurry to answer with a simple yes or no, you may not know which question he answered. According to Dhavan, “These short messages cause confusion, misunderstanding and can easily tarnish your relationships with colleagues.” Therefore, whether you are submitting or responding to a request, make sure you state everything clearly and concisely.