I have published this George Bernard Shaw quote before on my Blog but no apologies from me for repeating it. As an 'ex' communications professional - it is one of my all time favourite quotes about communication;
'The problem with communication is the ILLUSION that it has been accomplished'
I am probably (sorry …. definitely!) obsessive about effective communication.
I nearly always respond immediately to e mails.
Not everyone has my obsessive traits - thank God, I hear you say - but often I am very disappointed that acknowledgements or replies just never happen.
What happens to that question I posed?
Does it just disappear into a black hole - never to rise again to the surface?
Did the e-mail not arrive? - I send a chaser just to check the person received the original - a reply sometimes arrives – more often a reply still doesn’t come.
Now I realise everyone is busy and not everyone feels need to respond immediately like me. In fact it is often more effective to consider one's response carefully and not jump in with an instant reply. I have occasionally found that out to my cost!
What really does irritate me though is the complete lack of response.
As I get older I should concern myself less with such things - and concentrate instead on really important issues in life - but to me it is just basic good manners for someone to - at the very least - acknowledge you have contacted them.
There can be few busier people in the world than Tom Peters.
I am privileged that Tom has kindly responded personally a few times to me - even if it is only a couple of words or a short sentence - he ‘finds’ time.
The feeling that your voice has been heard is wonderful and surely it is not too much to ask in these days of instant communication to receive at least an acknowledgment.
Obviously not everyone thinks this is important.... am I expecting too much?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Trev, you are spot on!!! I always find a lack of acknowledgment so hurtful! Recently, I e-mailed 30 people and hand-wrote to 6 people about a new (reunion) blog site I have set up. How many responded? NIL! I was expecting my inbox to be full of people saying, "Hey Annie, this is great...! etc. Or something. The fact that no-one has responded indicates that sadly it is a reflection of the way things are. I thought this all this new technology would improve communication - what do others think?
I set up my blog in the hope of bringing people back together, but maybe they prefer to stay apart. So back to your title, Trevor; no, I don't think the courtesy of an acknowledgment is too much to ask.
I agree with Annie, Trevor. A acknowledgement is NEVER too much. I think that essentially depends on the way of being of each person.
I will acknowledge YOU, Felix - it only takes a few clicks! It's a beautiful sunny day in England - perfect for ice-cream sandwiches. Have you tried one yet? Best wishes.
Thanks Annie. I still haven´t tasted those delicious ice-creams. I´m fact I´m on a diet now. I must lose weight, i go to the gym four days a week and it´s a big effort for me. But I think i will fall to the temptation one day or another.
Hello Felix, I must confess, despite the glorious weather, I didn't eat an ice cream sandwich for the same reason as you! Last week Trevor and I ran 5 Kms every day, went to the gym and followed a weight-loss diet rigidly. At the end of the week we had both GAINED weight!! If we never went to the gym and lived on a diet of ice-cream sandwiches would we have perfect shapes? Rocky once said that ROUND is a shape.
Seriously Felix, good luck with your efforts at the gym!
Yes, I agree with each one of you that acknowledgement is not too much to ask. But I cannot comprehend why we ignore to acknowledge. It's very sad.
Post a Comment