I have pulled off what may be one of the greatest achievements of my life.
It’s only a small thing, and in fact it’s rather comical, but it means a lot to me.
Even better, it’s got a critical communication insight attached.
Look - it even impressed a goose, as you can see from the picture.
(Yes, I have been back to Devon and seen my beloved gaggle, hence the happy photo!)
Anyway, before we get to my communication triumph, a step back.
Because you know me well enough by now to realise that I was never going to tell you straight away what this achievement is.
Yes, I do love a tease.
But I also love storytelling, so stick with me please.
It makes the tale more interesting, I promise.
My company, Creative Warehouse, is a complete communication consultancy.
Whatever you require on the messaging front we can do it, and with high standards and fine style.
Or so the sell goes.
You would think, given which, that we would be good at communicating with each other.
But I noticed a worrying trend recently.
We hadn’t been talking to each other much.
Maybe it was the hangover from the pandemic, when we were more used to sending messages and emails.
But rather than pick up the phone and have a chat, or arrange a video call, it was all email, email, email…
And personally, I detest email.
The potential for misunderstandings is too big, and the lack of a human touch makes it a far from effective form of communication.
It’s also way too easy to get into a bunker mentality over email.
I used to see it in the BBC all the time:
People sitting a few desks away from each other, and emailing rather than talking.
So, as great and glorious Director of Creative Warehouse, when I saw this default mode of email arising I suggested we all started talking to each other again.
I’m lucky to work with a brilliant team, so everyone understood, began talking once more, and would you believe it…
We grew happier, more productive and bonded, not to mention more creative.
All through the simple innovation of having conversations.
That would have been an achievement enough.
But here’s the very pinnacle of the zenith of the summit, if you’ll excuse the lyricism.
Being a modern communications agency, we often design, build and write websites.
Which means we have a couple of hugely talented technical types as our developers.
I won’t embarrass anyone by naming names, but one of these chaps is less good at communicating than the other.
So we had a relaxed and gentle chat about it, I outlined the pitfalls of email, or, as is often the case…
- Not actually communicating at all.
(I think I can sense you nodding knowingly here!)
We have a strong relationship, so the developer in question kindly listened, understood, said he would try to improve his communication, and would you know…
With all due fanfare, this is where the great achievement comes in…
We had a tricky issue to resolve on a website for a major client.
He and I were working on it, we'd reached a critical point, which just had to be right, and fast, as we were up against a deadline…
He had a question he needed to ask…
And guess what?
Are you ready for this...?
- He phoned me
Yes, that’s right. Excuse the big print, but I could hardly believe it either.
I got a technical type, a web developer no less, to pick up the phone and have a conversation with me.
Not email, or WhatsApp, or any other form of messaging...
But a genuine, old school, retro style conversation.
I did say it was a small thing.
But somehow it's a big thing too, and it made me unaccountably happy.
Because between us we rapidly resolved the issue.
And why was our work so immediately impactful?
It was all down to talking to each other...
That being by far the most efficient and effective way, leading to easily the best results.
So here endeth the lesson.
For true communication, talk to each other.
Not email, not messages, and definitely not silence.
Talk to each other. Simples.