I must admit it. I’m as guilty as anyone with my fascination for the convenience of the technology and social networking tools out there. What started with e-mail, has grown into a vast array of internet based tools that enable us to communicate, in real time with as few or as many people as we wish.

There’s texting, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, FriendFeed, Naymze to mention just the few that I am engaged with, not to mention the scores of others out there.  To be sure they bring convenience, reach and just-in-time utility that enable our lives in real, unique and meaningful ways. I can’t imagine a world without these anymore and there’s certainly no turning back. For those who think these are passing fads with no value, look no further than how Twitter was utilized in the most recent Iranian uprisings to get news out of that country.

But there is a downside. It started with e-mail and is exacerbated by the explosion of these other applications. It occurs when we substitute electronic conversations for real, person to person dialogue. In my coaching practice, I advise my clients to utilize e-mail to communicate the “news,” but not the “opinion column.” The rule of thumb is to use personal contact for more difficult messages and indirect communication for relaying  basic information. Personal contact is important to read the other person’s facial expression, voice inflection and body language in order to adapt the conversation on the fly, if need be.

Problem is we way too frequently use the most convenient communication tool, instead of the most effective. Plus, it is easy to fall into the trap of “saying something” electronically, in the heat of the moment, that we would likely not say in person. And with Facebook, Twitter and the like, we can multiply our mistakes by broadcasting inappropriate information to hundreds or even thousands of people. Not good.

Then there’s that small issue of grammar and spoken etiquette. As these other modes of communication proliferate, our collective ability to create well developed and cogent thoughts and sentences seems to get further diminished. It’s like we run out of ideas after 140 characters.

Take heart, however, that the art of conversation will never be totally lost. It is part of who we are from our earliest days, when the most important information was relayed via stories.  Like riding a bicycle, it stays with you, so long as you discipline yourself to take the bike out of the garage.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 14th, 2009 at 1:31 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.