Wow! I had completely forgotten what all those three modalities could do to you especially on that issue of soliciting a report.
After I read the email, I asked myself, how would I feel if I were to get an email of this sort? Would I feel pushed or pressured? The voicemail of the same message did not appeal to me at all. I thought the email had a more powerful hold on me since it was something written. As I watched the video (choppy as I am still in Istanbul!), I knew that if a message of this sort was given to me face-to-face, I would immediately jump from my table and do it. How could you ignore a request handed to you in personal way where the speaker took time out of her busy schedule to come and speak to you PERSONALLY? Eye contact to me is essential that is why I am reluctant to join some chat discussions. I would rather prefer a skype video call to a chat message. However, with our busy lifestyles this is not always possible.
As I reflected on the videos, I realised that the art of communicating is essential to us not only in a project but in expressing our thoughts in our daily lives. I try to learn from people I meet and relationships I had on how to “communicate” with honesty and integrity. When I lived in Africa when I was young, an African friend of mine once told me that he had to be honest or else they would have their finger cut. At the moment, I thought it was something hilarious but in hindsight, I think this meant the integrity of the person was at stake.
In the international teaching world I work, there is so much use of this “art of communicating” but for other purposes which can sometimes be destructive. I believe the real communication incorporates not only the verbal aspect but most especially the non-verbal aspect of a message. Though we can talk about high technology in communication, using chat rooms, or asynchronous discussions, there is no better way than seeing the person face-to-face. Lastly, it is not the amount of words that matters but the quality of message being transmitted that counts often. I’m guilty of this many times.
Malu
The face-to-face scenario left me feeling the same way! It lacks the traceable quality of email, but it seems as if it is more likely to get an immediate response. There is no doubt to the benefits of true face-to-face communication and therefore little substitute.
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