How do you communicate?

Having worked in an office environment for the past 4 years, I've noticed a sharp divide between the older and younger generations on the subject of communication. When older folks need to ask a question or arrange a meeting, they prefer to talk to someone, either face to face or on the telephone. Younger folks like myself find it much easier to fire off a quick email, or if it's available, instant message someone. Each generation finds the other's method of communications annoying.

For me, I find it so much more efficient to send an email. I don't have to waste time exchanging meaningless pleasantries with someone I don't know before getting down to business, and all the information is written down, so I can review it later if I've forgotten something. I'm not insulted if someone emails me instead of calling (in same cases I'm relieved). This isn't to say I don't mind getting phone calls, but I've worked with people who would insist on phoning me to tell me that they'd just emailed me something. That infuriates me, but I've heard more than one older person complain that "All people do anymore is email, and I don't feel that's personnal enough".

What do you guys think?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

a series of clicks and whistles.

I'm very popular with dolphins and zulu

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I honestly believe that the habit of communicating via technology is causing a generation of socially inept people. It seems like almost everyone I talk to in the 16-28 year old age range is extremely nervous and awkard when carrying on face-to-face conversations with people. I think it's sad.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

You're right wouldn't it be unfortunate if we could only socialise with a limited number of people and as a result had to form strange and unnatural relationships?

How ya doing, buddy?

If I'm at work and I'm on the fourth floor and need a tip from a guy on the first, I'll make the arduous trek down a few stories to get to him. That way, I'll get a direct, exact answer and know that he understands where I'm coming from, as opposed to following a couple-sentence e-mail.

If I need an answer at some point in the near future (not immediately pressing) and it's something simple, then I'll e-mail the guy -- if and only if he is not at my place of work. I'd call them via phone if it was a pressing matter. I don't see the point of e-mailing a dude who is within walking distance, especially if it is regarding an important task that needs to get done.

My only real exception is if you're arranging a meeting among 10+ individuals with a time update and place. Then, I'd deem it reasonable to e-mail due to the sheer amount of people and time you'd go through to deal with that.

I personally loathe communicating via text in such situations. I use AIM and stuff often, but I use those when it is genuinely inconvenient to get ahold of them, such as my brothers who live rather far away. I won't call them on the phone to strike up a conversation -- I'll IM them.

Meanwhile, work is all about getting it done and doing a good job. If you take to long with getting advice (which may or may not pan out) then you'll get a reputation. A pretty bad one, at that. But hell, maybe I'm old-fashioned in too many senses.

I was speaking idiomatically.

It really depends on the situation. Conference calls are practically necessary for any kind of clear communication involving more than two parties. CC'ing thirty people on an email just doesn't cut it. On the other hand, when dealing with utility companies, or a similar pain in the ass, having an email as proof that you did in fact send in a letter of cancellation on that account helps when their service reps don't process it for another month.

Not to mention, no one wants to talk to me unless I'm on a contact list, but they'll sure as hell listen to an email from the company domain.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Alice

I honestly believe that the habit of communicating via technology is causing a generation of socially inept people. It seems like almost everyone I talk to in the 16-28 year old age range is extremely nervous and awkard when carrying on face-to-face conversations with people. I think it's sad.

I really agree with this.

But ha ha I'm a hypocrite. Like nuttyturnip, I prefer to bounce an email or a message to someone so I don't have to deal with the conversation that could possibly ensue. Especially if I am at work or trying to get shit done, it's easiest to send a little note. (This is all assuming I am dealing with women. If I am aiming to deal with a man, I will often call or meet up. They're never too chatty or time-consuming. They're more "GET TO THE POINT ALREADY.")

I don't like to spend more time than necessary on a phone or face-to-face. If I have nothing to do or no projects going down, I'll pick up the phone or meet up to discuss, but then I could be impeding on the OTHER person's projects.

So I try to keep things nice and clean, that way multitasking is an option.

But this is pretty much the office environment. I don't like taking personal calls, I try to avoid wasting time on the phone needlessly, so on.

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Originally Posted by Alice

I honestly believe that the habit of communicating via technology is causing a generation of socially inept people. It seems like almost everyone I talk to in the 16-28 year old age range is extremely nervous and awkard when carrying on face-to-face conversations with people.

That's because all your friends and acquaintances in that age group are internet nerds.

I actually still prefer the phone to instant message or an email. If I had talk to someone RIGHT AWAY it means that it was important enough for me to get an immediate response to the matter at hand. Don't get me wrong though; e-mail and a quick IM are perfectly serviceable options if they're available but, for me, nothing beats the phone call.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I'd much rather talk to someone over IM than face-to-face or over the phone, unless it's someone I care about or actually want to meet. It is much easier for me to formulate and organize my thoughts when writing than it is when speaking.

I don't have any problems having spoken (in person) conversations with people, though. What I do have a big problem with is calling people on the phone. I hate doing it, and I'd be happy if I never had to touch another phone again. When presented with a choice of either using the phone or sending an e-mail or message, I will pick the latter two 100% of the time unless the matter is utterly urgent.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek

I'd much rather talk to someone over IM than face-to-face or over the phone, unless it's someone I care about or actually want to meet. It is much easier for me to formulate and organize my thoughts when writing than it is when speaking.

I don't have any problems having spoken conversations with people, though. What I do have a big problem with is calling people on the phone. I hate doing it, and I'd be happy if I never had to touch another phone again. When presented with a choice of either using the phone or sending an e-mail or message, I will pick the latter two 100% of the time unless the matter is utterly urgent.

Bingo! You've nailed my attitude exactly. Alice's comment that the younger generation has stunted personal communications skills has merit, but I'm old enough to remember life without the internet, and I've always been this way. I'm not averse to picking up the phone if I need to have a dialogue with someone (back and forth, working something out), but if it's a simple, "Hey, could you do this task for me" or "Can we set up a meeting next week", it's just plain easier to send an email.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

At least in my case the socially inept thing might be true. It's not that I don't know how to communicate with people, but I'm such a social klutz that it affects how I talk.

Moreover I've never been a quick wit...I need time to form my thoughts and how I feel about any given situation. It's pretty much natural that I'm opposed to any kind of dynamic conversation unless I'm speaking to people who know me and why it might take me so long to answer a question.

It's why I came to GFF in the first place.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Decoy Goat

a series of clicks and whistles.

I'm very popular with dolphins and zulu

For me, how all depends on who/what/when/where/why. I'm mostly a backgroud kind of person, not that great at being sociable. At work I'll go around in person (small office), dislike using the phone, but will use email if I'm asked to. I'm an intern, so I really don't do a lot of communications-stuff except looking for jobs to work on. My family is easiest to call because they're 2-3 hours away most of the time, and my parents aren't big fans of the internet, but sometimes we email. I use aim with my brother sometimes.

Friends are most awesome to hang out with in person. Internet and phones simply don't cut it, although iming is good for when we can't hang out. I do prefer im for some types of conversations, though. Heavy topics like politics, religion, philosophy, etc are easier to keep track of in type, because I can look back on what we've said and take time to shape my thoughts into understandable format. It's also sometimes easier for me to be witty online than in person.

Also, it's rude to multitask on the phone or in person, and incredibly hard to get work done at the same time. On the internet, however, I can switch back and forth between windows of play and windows of work and windows of conversation without offending anyone, and often end up with a greater quantity of higher quality work than if I was just trying to work and nothing else. It gets me in trouble sometimes when people think I'm just goofing off, but it's just how I roll best.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Alice

I honestly believe that the habit of communicating via technology is causing a generation of socially inept people. It seems like almost everyone I talk to in the 16-28 year old age range is extremely nervous and awkard when carrying on face-to-face conversations with people. I think it's sad.

Do you think most people weren't nervous while talking to their new boss at their first job 20 years ago?

Personally, I like either talking to someone in person or sending them an e-mail. I hate using the phone because I'm a really visual speaker and tend to use gestures and need to actually draw things out while I'm talking and I completely lose that on the phone. My hearing's also really wonky and I've never been good at understanding what people are saying over the phone.

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Originally Posted by RacinReaver

Do you think most people weren't nervous while talking to their new boss at their first job 20 years ago?

Yeah, but Alice has a good point there. A lot of kids I know are AFRAID to make eye contact with you when you're talking to them and try to end face-to-face conversation as soon as possible, but when they are online, they let go and talk FOREVER. There's a sharp dichotomy between their real selves and their online personas.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

My hearing's also really wonky and I've never been good at understanding what people are saying over the phone.

Yeah, I have that problem too. I normally have to ask the other person on the other end oh the phone to repeat certain bits at least once. I do try and avoid the phone though, I just feel uncomfortable using it.

In the office I generally talk to people face to face. I do send off the occasional email, but find it easier to make the trek round the office to talk to the person that I want.

Out of the office, it is mainly SMS, IM and emails as the main way of keeping in contact with people.

FELIPE NO

Depends on if I'm talking to friends, acquaintances, or strangers. And even then it depends on who it is. Certain people I prefer to IM, others I prefer to see in person.

I despise talking on the phone in all cases. Even with someone I don't know, I'd much rather speak to them in-person than over the phone.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

To me, especially in the business nature, I would rather see them in person than either email or even phone. If its possible to see them in person, I would rather do that than anything else.

However, I use emails very often after meeting business clients for the first time, or even on a personal basis with people and friends that live far away, or I haven't seen in a while.

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I use smoke signals.

(IM or phone if I need an answer right away.)

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I think what matters to me most is responsiveness rather than how I take the course of action whether to call or email. I usually email people and depending on the urgency if I don't get a response by certain times (due to timezone differences) and I need a response by end of business that day, I'll call. Either way, if the person doesn't respond back to me by email/fax, doesn't answer my voicemail, or doesn't bother to answer my phone call when I know they're there, I start losing interest in that location/vendor/person and find other ways of getting the job done. Especially for pressing matters.

Or if the above problem continues to proceed, I'll start bypassing those unresponsive people and start contacting their boss or immediate supervisor. Sometimes this takes much more effort and goes into a heavier toll, but eh, you gotta do what you need to; it's all about getting the job done. I can't waste my time on people who can't help me do my job.

I'll typically email for most matters. Like most others have said already, it's more efficient for multi-tasking. Very often, I'll start / work on other matters or email/other IE windows while I'm on hold with some vendors, which is quite typical. Since I don't have headphones for our phones in our office, I'll put the receiver down and put the phone on speaker whie I'm on hold so I have both hands free to type up another email to send to other vendors.

Urgency and need for response for a report to Tokyo headquarters is what I look at most to put a priority on which case needs most amt. of effort/time when it comes to taking communication with vendors. There are certain issues that need constant follow up. For matters reporting to Tokyo, it's usually done by email because...uh....I honestly don't feel like staying an extra hour past 5 PM PST to get an answer from Tokyo...

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I prefer e-mail or IM, indirect communication FTW. Get to the point and move on.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Digital_Divider

I prefer e-mail or IM, indirect communication FTW. Get to the point and move on.

Somehow I get the feeling that you're really confused about what "indirect" means.

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The older people (up to grandparent age) at my work are fine with e-mail, it just depends on the person.

Frankly, to do effective communication, learn what method works with the individual person and stick to it. Some people love e-mail. Others you will only get ahold of by phone or face-to-face. Indulge them. Leave a sticky note on their desk if you have to.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Truth be told I'm more comfortable with sending text messages to a person in order to get the information I need. I send and receive info way better that way lol. If I'm on the mobile I get worried that the dude on the other end may have a heavy accent or in a loud environment making it incredibly difficult to figure out wtf he's trying to say. It'll also be rude to ask him to constantly repeat himself lol.

How ya doing, buddy?

If you give me a choice I will always IM or e-mail. It's unfortunate that my friends seem to prefer phones. I don't mind talking nearly as much as I mind initiating a conversation.

And for the record, I was socially inept long before I got on the Internet. I'm well-spoken, but my voice gets drowned out easily and, frankly, I hate the sound of it. I take my time to think through what I'm saying instead of filling pauses with "like, um, uhh", and it seems to bother people, because they immediately try to fill the pauses themselves. Also, I like to speak correctly but this has become completely unacceptable in casual speech. People look at me like I'm speaking Chinese when I use an adverb or a past participle.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

If I need a question answered right now and the other person is here in the office then I'll just walk down and talk to them. If it isn't very important I will email them so they can get back to me at their convenience. I understand people are busy and that it takes time from their day to deal with me, so it really just depends on the situation.

I also deal with a lot of communities that are spread all over the United States, usually if their question is simple to answer or should be directed to someone else I will just send them an email, otherwise I prefer the phone because it is much more dynamic and doesn’t seem to take as much time as an email.

Jam it back in, in the dark.