Very Busy People

Everyone is allotted the same 24 hours in a day. Mother Teresa managed to minister to the poor, the sick, the orphaned and the dying during her 24 hours. Leonardo da Vinci made due with his 24 hours while dabbling in math, science, engineering, botany, anatomy, painting, sculpting, writing and playing music...just to name a few. And yet today, most people cannot manage to return a phone call or answer an email within a 24 hour period. 

There are those who are too busy to listen or read, and then there are those who make the effort, but do not have the time to pay attention to the details. These are the people who reply to specific questions with non-responsive answers. For example, yesterday I emailed a very busy person to confirm our appointment and to ask for the street address where we were to meet. The email was answered in a timely fashion, but failed to answer my question: "Thanks, I look forward to seeing you, too!" was the response I received. That's swell, but I'm still going to need that address.

Non-responsive answers used to be limited to witnesses being cross-examined by a lawyer:
Q: "Did you have a conversation with Mr. Jones about his plans to embezzle the money?"

A: "I spoke to Mr. Jones on many occasions."

Or to politicians: 

Q: Do you support higher taxes for the middle-class?

A: I think that's an important issue that needs to be discussed.

Or to husbands

Q: Does this skirt make me look fat?

A: I love you.

And now it seems that non-responsive answers are all the rage amongst busy people, as well.

Busy people wear their busyness like a badge of honor. It's become a competition amongst busy people to prove that they are, in fact, the very busiest. This is a problem if you are the person who has to communicate with Mr. or Ms. Busy because communicating is more than talking or presenting information - it requires listening, interpreting and processing. Being an effective communicator means checking your emails for typos as well as making sure that you answered all of the questions and addressed all of the concerns. And busy people don't seem to have time for that kind of Tom Foolery.

I could go on and on and on, but I just don't have the time.

If you need help navigating the ins and outs of effective communication - take a minute out of your hectic schedule and give Ty Boyd Communications & Coaching a call...we always have time for you.