Don’t blame the tools

Today, the Grammarly blog ran this image as the main bit of a simple post, noting the downside of short form communication:

As you may have guessed from the title of my post here, I disagree. But more specifically I believe it is they way we misuse the communication tools available to us for the wrong conversations. This hearkens back to one of my earlier posts on my business blog “Notes from Rational Support” during our drive to work outside the inbox: Using the right tools for the right conversations

In that post I outline how using open and transparent communication tools like blogs, wikis, and forums to collaborate on ideas before transitioning them into actionable work can be a wonderful method for building an efficient workforce. More importantly, however, is that using the right tools for the right conversations aide with improving communication all around.

Use the tools you do have available to consciously move those conversations away from short-form, email, or closed systems to the more open and transparent mediums and you’ll see your communication improve in an almost passive manner. Make use of forums and wikis and blogs to collaborate and drive your work forward, use texts for simple quick updates/questions, and of course pick up the phone and call someone when the conversation requires that deeper connection and free-flowing discussion.

Texting isn’t the issue with failed communication. The issue is using texts for the wrong conversations and not moving those conversation to the right medium when texting begins to cause confusion.