Recently, I gave a talk at the Workforce Development Conference on how to communicate across generations.
This speaking experience really drove home the core message of the talk, which is: “It’s not about me… It’s about them.”
It’s not about how I prefer to communicate… It’s about how my target audience prefers to be communicated with.
At this talk, there was one blind person and one deaf person in the audience.
While we all have preferences about how we like to communicate, having these two individuals in my audience gave me a deeper awareness of how important it is to be respectful about how someone else prefers to receive information.
In the case of these two people in the audience, their communication preferences are based very clearly on their limitations. If you do not take that into consideration, they may not be able to receive what you are trying to communicate.
Likewise, when it comes to communicating with your customers, clients, friends, or family members, it’s incumbent upon each of us to figure out what their preferences are.
When you take this into consideration, it ultimately serves you because you’re able to effectively communicate with them. That’s the only way that you’ll get them to act the way you want them to act – whether that’s clicking a link, signing up for an event, or saying “YES” to an invitation.
For example, my daughter loves Snapchat. If I want to get in touch with her, I know that sending her a Snapchat message will get me the quickest response.
On the other hand, my daughter knows that the best way to reach me is to pick up the phone and call me.
It all comes down to respect. Whether someone is older, younger, or has other limitations beyond their control, what are their preferences?
Ultimately it serves you AND them to put their preferences first in your communications.
Have you ever noticed this – with friends, family, clients, or customers? Let me know, by leaving a comment down below!
‘Til next time,
Sandy
