Heather Crawford's Blog

Today, most of society uses text messages and e-mails to share and exchange information.  We have abandon vocal communication.  When was the last time you picked up the phone to call a friend?  You probably text your friends and family more then you spend time on a telephone or in a face-to-face conversation.  This is even becoming the trend in some businesses these days.  The gap in communication causes for much confusion.  Tones are not heard and mixed messages are sent.

The greatest lesson learned from someone else was from my dad.  Working in the port industry, my dad converses with multiple people daily locally and globally.  Yes, he writes e-mails but those are always followed up with a phone call.  I remember after an incident at his workplace one day, when an angry e-mail was sent and then distributed throughout the office.  Due to a miscommunication via e-mail, someone at his work had become upset and instead of picking up the phone and diffusing the confusion, wrote an enraged e-mail.  He came home that day and told me never ever try to solve things by written word.  To always pick up the phone and talk to someone.

From then on he has instilled in me that verbal communication is power.  Over the years I have tried to employ his words of wisdom, but when others begin to rely on written communication, a friction arises.  Although there is temptation to responding to a spiteful text message or e-mail in the heat of the moment, it is always better to pick up the phone.  Communication is crucial not only in business, but also with friends and family, as I have learnt over the years.