No matter what industry we are in, we are all in the people business. Forming relationships with our clients and colleagues is a vital part of success in any field. While it might be more convenient and perhaps more economical to text, email or Skype, nothing beats the power of a face-to-face connection. It's the best way to explore and build consensus and encourage discussion. How else can we expect to get to know one another?
But sitting across the table from someone, sharing a glass of wine or a cup of coffee seems to have become a luxury. Some suggest that our nation wouldn't have found itself on the edge of a fiscal cliff if our President cultivated more personal relationships with members of Congress. The same can be said of both the Republicans and Democrats in Congress: if our politicians committed to socializing across party lines, discussing and forging personal relationships, it might help build trust and lead to solutions.
Lyndon Johnson used to invite 20 members of Congress to dinner every week. They brought their spouses and Lady Bird would give them a tour of the White House before dinner. By the end of his term, Johnson knew every member of Congress and members of Congress knew each other. These face-to-face meetings helped build relationships that helped Congress carry out the business of the nation.
How you say something is often more powerful than what you say. The subtle nuances of communications - body language, gestures, facial expression, tone of voice - cannot be translated into a text or an email. In fact, sometimes your words can be misinterpreted when then are typed rather than spoken.
Information can be shared virtually, but when it's done in person, it helps to build long-lasting relationships and trust that will inevitably grow your business. The bottom line is that today's technology can help us on our journey to
becoming master communicators by providing an addition, not a
replacement, for face-to-face communication.
