A Call To Arms For A Dying Form Of Communication

Here is the current list of ways you can choose to communicate:

• Phone - Mobiles and Landlines (direct, home and company)
• Email (work and personal addressees)
• Twitter
• Blogs
• Texts
• Fax
• LinkedIn
• Facebook (plus several others social networking flavours)
• and Web Forums/Postings.

Far too many and the choice is increasing. There is one form of communication missing. Spotted it yet? Hand written communication as in Letters, Cards and Notes etc. It’s being squeezed into extinction.

Have a look around your desk area, office privacy screens, notice boards etc. What is most proudly (apart from photos) pinned/stood on display? It’s letters of congratulation, well done cards and thank you notes.

The letter or card still carries a power other forms of communication cannot match. Why? It’s original, a one off, it can’t be duplicated. It's permanent, it can’t be deleted or manipulated. Somebody made a deliberate effort to create it, with careful thought as to the medium (bought or homemade card) and its appropriateness. Next, effort has had to go into the writing of it, especially a handwritten (the Rolls Royce) version. This is all before the content is absorbed.

All this significance is without also considering what additional intrigue and excitement is bought to the table by the envelope!

Do you keep a memory box? How many emails or texts have you printed out and put in? None to not very many.

The use of hand written communication is dying out, it is becoming rarer to receive, which is why it is even more highly valued.

If you are interested in being an effective manager then the use of recognition and praise will feature in your tools of choice. Written praise, for all the previously stated reasons turbo-charges any verbal praise. It creates a record (which is why some misguided managers say they don’t use it), because people will never throw these things away, not because they wish to use it against their employer but because they value it so highly.

Look round your office see how people value personally written things and think when you last sent someone a handwritten letter or note.

Predaptive work in helping organisations improve their levels of employee engagement by creating more effective management practices.