The Art of Communication
Electronic or virtual methods of sharing information continue to increasingly dominate the way humans communicate with one another. In the last few years, text messaging has overtaken all other media as the most frequently used method of communication. In fact, more text messages are sent every day than are emails, voice, voice mail, mail, fax, television, and radio broadcasts combined. This is a worldwide phenomenon and, ironically, more prevalent in developing nations than in the United States. Impoverished communities without television, radio, or computer access to the Internet frequently have cell phones, and they are used far more for texting than for voice calls. Although the characteristics of immediacy, ease, affordability, and viral universality of texting are obvious, many experts in communication are wary of the unintended and often unexpected consequences of increasing “virtual” conversations. Consider the following real-life incident as reported in T+D magazine, the flagship magazine of The American Society for Training and Development: “A CEO who thought he saw too few parked cars [in the company parking lot] early and late in the day blasted an angry email to 400 managers. He complained that the employees weren’t working enough hours. An employee forwarded the CEO’s email outside the company, and it was posted on Yahoo.com. Stock market analysts and investors found out and were concerned that negative events at the company were behind such an angry message from the CEO. The New York Times picked up the story. The company’s stock price fell 22 percent in just three days.” There are many such examples of viral spread of messages: YouTube videos of natural disasters, tweets of immediate events, personal blogs, or amateur productions. Some, like the spread of a talented musicians’ work, or the text message fundraising effort for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti or the tsunami in Japan, are immensely positive. Others, like financial scams, computer viruses, or “online bullying,” are exploitative, horribly unfair, and destructive. Incredibly powerful forces have been unleashed in the last few months through the use of uncontrolled personal electronic communications, causing political upheaval in nations with restrictive regimes and leading to war and destruction, as well as liberation and freedom. Closer to home, we struggle as individuals each day in managing the demand on our time and our lives created by this deluge of messages. Even with spam filters, blocked messages, junk email folders, and software solutions, it is not uncommon for an average teenager to receive hundreds of texts, emails, and tweets per day. A typical U.S. teen checks messages on an average of once every 6.5 minutes throughout the day. And though the older, less connected generation may not be as frequently affected, the gap is closing. The rate at which texting and Internet usage is increasing is greatest among the over-50 crowd. So, how do we, as your faithful Academy staff, find the “sweet spot” of communicating with you enough to maximize your satisfaction with our service, keeping you up to date on the rush of relevant information, and, at the same time, cluttering your junk email box and cluttering up your already busy lives with excess information? In addition to the information we wish to “push out,” there is rarely a day when a well-meaning member does not want us to “poll the membership” regarding an issue of importance or to share our membership email list (which we do not). Or publish an online survey. Or a click-through message in The News. More importantly, how do we use mobile communications and related devices to add value to your lives, simplify immediate access to the information you desire, and deliver it exactly when and where you want it? The advances in mobile communications make it possible for us to provide real-time, point-of-care, on demand, interactive, learner-centered, mobile access to medical education, decision support services, and documentation of quality performance in practice. As the Academy integrates its comprehensive otolaryngology content, including the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, AcademyU, the Home Study Course, the Otolaryngology Online Study Guide, COCLIA, as well as other offerings, you will be seeing the development of mobile applications and the ability to “push” or “pull” content you desire. These offerings will be tailored to your needs and targeted to specific purposes you designate. As we move forward more rapidly in using digital technology effectively, let’s remember the critical importance of face-to-face communication. The rich blessing of personal contact, voice, touch, and the non-verbal communication that comes from “real” conversation will never be replaced by electronic means.
Electronic or virtual methods of sharing information continue to increasingly dominate the way humans communicate with one another. In the last few years, text messaging has overtaken all other media as the most frequently used method of communication. In fact, more text messages are sent every day than are emails, voice, voice mail, mail, fax, television, and radio broadcasts combined. This is a worldwide phenomenon and, ironically, more prevalent in developing nations than in the United States. Impoverished communities without television, radio, or computer access to the Internet frequently have cell phones, and they are used far more for texting than for voice calls.
Although the characteristics of immediacy, ease, affordability, and viral universality of texting are obvious, many experts in communication are wary of the unintended and often unexpected consequences of increasing “virtual” conversations. Consider the following real-life incident as reported in T+D magazine, the flagship magazine of The American Society for Training and Development:
“A CEO who thought he saw too few parked cars [in the company parking lot] early and late in the day blasted an angry email to 400 managers. He complained that the employees weren’t working enough hours. An employee forwarded the CEO’s email outside the company, and it was posted on Yahoo.com. Stock market analysts and investors found out and were concerned that negative events at the company were behind such an angry message from the CEO. The New York Times picked up the story. The company’s stock price fell 22 percent in just three days.”
There are many such examples of viral spread of messages: YouTube videos of natural disasters, tweets of immediate events, personal blogs, or amateur productions. Some, like the spread of a talented musicians’ work, or the text message fundraising effort for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti or the tsunami in Japan, are immensely positive. Others, like financial scams, computer viruses, or “online bullying,” are exploitative, horribly unfair, and destructive. Incredibly powerful forces have been unleashed in the last few months through the use of uncontrolled personal electronic communications, causing political upheaval in nations with restrictive regimes and leading to war and destruction, as well as liberation and freedom.
Closer to home, we struggle as individuals each day in managing the demand on our time and our lives created by this deluge of messages. Even with spam filters, blocked messages, junk email folders, and software solutions, it is not uncommon for an average teenager to receive hundreds of texts, emails, and tweets per day. A typical U.S. teen checks messages on an average of once every 6.5 minutes throughout the day. And though the older, less connected generation may not be as frequently affected, the gap is closing. The rate at which texting and Internet usage is increasing is greatest among the over-50 crowd.
So, how do we, as your faithful Academy staff, find the “sweet spot” of communicating with you enough to maximize your satisfaction with our service, keeping you up to date on the rush of relevant information, and, at the same time, cluttering your junk email box and cluttering up your already busy lives with excess information? In addition to the information we wish to “push out,” there is rarely a day when a well-meaning member does not want us to “poll the membership” regarding an issue of importance or to share our membership email list (which we do not). Or publish an online survey. Or a click-through message in The News.
More importantly, how do we use mobile communications and related devices to add value to your lives, simplify immediate access to the information you desire, and deliver it exactly when and where you want it? The advances in mobile communications make it possible for us to provide real-time, point-of-care, on demand, interactive, learner-centered, mobile access to medical education, decision support services, and documentation of quality performance in practice. As the Academy integrates its comprehensive otolaryngology content, including the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, AcademyU, the Home Study Course, the Otolaryngology Online Study Guide, COCLIA, as well as other offerings, you will be seeing the development of mobile applications and the ability to “push” or “pull” content you desire. These offerings will be tailored to your needs and targeted to specific purposes you designate.
As we move forward more rapidly in using digital technology effectively, let’s remember the critical importance of face-to-face communication. The rich blessing of personal contact, voice, touch, and the non-verbal communication that comes from “real” conversation will never be replaced by electronic means.