Communication in the Digital Age Leadership Development Center May 2008 Presented by: Elizabeth C.S. Jamison Director, Leadership Development Center Radford University 2007 All Rights Reserved Leadership Development Center
Word Association
Workplaces to Workspaces Technology has created virtual workspaces. Distributed ib t work Time zone differences Work-life differences Impact Changes assumptions of what you know Changes workforce management practices Raises stress levels UNCHANGED expectations We judge ourselves by our intentions. j g y We judge others by their actions. -Max Dupree
Are you a Timeshifter?
Time Shifting the recording of programming g to a storage medium to be viewed or listened to at a time more convenient to the consumer ~Wikipedia
Old Communication Technologies Land-line phones Fax machines Scanners Cell Phones E-mail IM
New Communication Technologies Texting Podcasting & RSS feeds Wikipedia Blogs Skype/iChat Web 2.0 (e.g. Second Life) Social Spaces Facebook & MySpace W t b h t t t b b We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are. -Max Dupree
Example: Second Life Avatars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6d 9I36zsec
Sample MySpace
What communication issue affects you the most at your workplace?
To make it work-- Develop trust Communicate often and through different mediums Understand d pros & cons of various types Manage expectations Manage conflict don t avoid it Systematize how to capture cumulative, digital information Human history becomes more and more a y race between education and catastrophe. -H.G. Wells
Tips for Managing Virtual Teams Maximize i face time. Be considerate. Handle serious conflicts. Keep all communications in a shared database.
Tips for Managing Virtual Teams Use tips from the trenches-protocols. Consider moving teleconferences. Utilize appropriate p technologies. Communicate, communicate, communicate.
One more consideration
Generational Factors Four Generations in the workplace Traditionalist (1922-1946) Age: 62 86 Baby Boomers (1946 1964) Age: 44-62 Generation X (1964 1980) Age: 28-44 Millennial (Y) (1980-2000) Age: 8-28 Different communication i trends in newer generations Digital it Natives vs. Digital it Immigrants
Digital Immigrant As a second language examples: Printing out e-mail Printing documents to edit Digital Native Native to language- examples Prefer games to work Prefer graphics BEFORE text Bringing i people in to see a Instant t gratification & frequent website (not sending the URL) rewards Phone call for did you get my e- mail? Big picture then act Sequential processing Look for directions in a manual Text Msg: RU there? Receive information FAST (Hi twitch speed) Parallel process & multi-task Look for directions in the medium (if at all)
Communication Styles Traditionalists & Boomers Tend NOT to challenge authority/status quo Prefer face-to-face interaction and phone Xers & Millennials Taught to speak up & challenge ideas Y: E-mail is SO yesterday I wish people p who have trouble communicating would just shut up. -Tom Lehrer
Baby Boomer (Digital Immigrants): Communication Characteristics ti People-oriented, less technology savvy Technology Orientation Openly dislike computers OR Use them only as work/life tool Edit better on paper than screen Retain information better on paper than screen Plan & work sequentially Memories created and accessed in a regularly patterned fashion
Gen Y (Digital Natives): Communication Characteristics ti Acculturated to technology-enhanced communication Communicate constantly (and expect you to also) Preliminary research indicating different brain wiring ii Random access to information Changes in short-term term memory and orientation Real social connection occurs digitally Multi-task task while multi-taskingtasking
Quick Question How far would you drive back to get your cell phone if you forgot it at home?
In Summary Communication happens Technology happens Generations happen Adapt Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. ~Sherlock Holmes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Leadership Development Center Thank You and Good Luck Presented dby: Elizabeth C.S. Jamison Director, Leadership Development Center Radford University 2006 All Rights Reserved Leadership Development Center